Dipper Pines's Confusing, Yet Totally Epic Fallers' Day
by ddp456
Summary: Dipper is overjoyed when Wendy invites him back to Gravity Falls to celebrate Fallers' Day with her. But when he arrives, she is nowhere to be found. Instead, he is attacked by 9 different figures from her past. What do they want with him? Where's Wendy during all of this? Will he ever be able to enjoy the holiday with her? Thanks to MrTengoku for the cover art!
1. Chapter 1

_For Bryan:_

 _Thank you for showing this world how to look past our "precious little lives," take on both "the world and the universe", deal with our own" infinite sadness," while "getting it together", only to deliver our "finest hour" when it really counts._

 _And most of all, thanks for teaching an old heartbroken fool how to believe again. (Sorry GF fans – this was years before the show aired) I can only hope this small tribute can, at least, slightly live up to your masterpiece._

* * *

Special thanks to SuperGroverAway, whom contributed several ideas towards these stories, as well as allowing me to borrow from their own excellent GF mythologies.

* * *

 _"Hey…"_

Dipper Pines turned around to see Wendy Corduroy standing over him with her arms crossed. To his surprise, the lanky lumberjane closed her eyes as she took a knee before him, bringing herself to his level. Wendy made a fist and brought it up towards Dipper as her emerald eyes softened.

"…you mean a lot to me, man…"

The shock faded from his face as Dipper brought his hand up to meet hers.

"You, too…"

As Wendy stood back up, she reached out with lightning speed and plucked Dipper's trademark blue-pine-tree cap from him. Dipper quietly gasped, reaching out for his snatched possession in reflex, only to have something light and brown planted on top of his head.

"Ugh!"

Confused, Dipper tried to clear his sights, as Wendy proudly placed his cap on top of her crown of thick red hair. She placed a hand against her side as she adjusted her prize with one eye shut. He reached up to validate his suspicions as the scent of Wendy's perfume entered his nostrils; his alarm quickly became mirth.

 _"It's Wendy's trapper hat! She gave me her hat!"_

He looked at her with grateful brown eyes as Wendy nodded to confirm, "Something to remember me by…" The ginger took another step towards him with an open hand, "Oh, and this…"

As Dipper glanced down at her empty hand, Wendy gently took a hold of the freshly-christened thirteen year old and brought him close in a warming embrace.

 _"What…?"_

He raised his head, finding that Wendy was peering down at him with a dimpled smile. Dipper could have sworn to hear his twin sister gasp in delight. As Wendy brought herself closer, she closed her eyes and puckered her lips.

 _"Omigosh! Omigosh!"_ Dipper thought. _"She's gonna…she's gonna kiss me goodbye!"_

Trying not to lose himself in the excitement, Dipper followed suit, shutting his eyes as he awaited his crush's parting gift.

 _"This isn't the way it happened…"_

"What?!"

The nagging voice played out in Dipper's mind again, _"This isn't the way it happened, remember? Wendy is supposed to give you that note from everyone in Gravity Falls…"_

All of a sudden, the small boy could feel something cold and slimy travel down his cheek. Dipper opened his eyes to see that Wendy had changed. Her freckled flesh had transformed into scaly green skin. Her adorable toothy grin was now filled with jagged, crooked teeth as she drooled rapidly. Her shining emerald eyes were now cat-like, reminding Dipper of Bill Cipher's sinister gaze.

"No!" Dipper tried to squeeze out of the Wendy's grip as she licked her lips with an extended pink tongue.

"Hmm…" the monster growled. "You look good enough…to eat…"

Wendy's jaws unhinged, stretching out over Dipper's head. As he felt the first pinch, the frightened detective let out a blood-curling scream:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He waved his arms and nearly jumped into the air. As he landed, Dipper no longer found himself in Gravity Falls, but back in his bus seat. He glanced around the vehicle, seeing that every set of eyes were solely focused on him. Even the bus driver altered his rear view mirror to see what the commotion was about.

"Uhh…heh-heh…" Dipper nervously rubbed the back of his head as he apologized, "Sorry – Sorry about that, everyone…"

As the world went back on with their business, Dipper let out a sigh of relief as his tiny form sunk back into the worn out cushion. With his brain moving at a million paces a minutes, he reached into his front pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Dipper unfolded the sheet and re-read the scribbled note as he had dozens of times throughout the week:

 _"Hey, dweeb!_

 _This might sound stupid, but there's this thing happening on February 29_ _th_ _called "Fallers' Day." Kinda like how Summerween is a second Halloween for Gravity Falls, this acts as a Valentine's Day Part 2, but once every four years._

 _It may be super-lame, but I thought that maybe you might dig coming here for the weekend to celebrate with me. Included with this note is an one-way ticket for the bus to Gravity Falls. We'll get the other one back home later on. It's the same line that you and Mabel used to come here last summer. Please tell your sister not to be upset for ditching her in Cally, but I'm lucky I could afford your ticket, yet alone two of them._

 _Hope you decide to come, Dipper. I know it's only for the weekend, but it would be really awesome to have you here for all the festivities. Not to get all mushy on you, dork, but it just won't be the same without you._

 _Love,  
Wendy_

 _PS: I just upgraded my cell, but had to change my number. This is the new one - 617-831-0229. Send me a text once you know what's up. Later!"_

Dipper held the note against his chest; the same amount of excitement and anxious overtaking him as the moment when he originally opened the letter. He could recall everything that had led to this moment, the first being Mabel's reaction to the wonderful news:

 _"You're crazy, Dipper!"_ the metal-mouthed pixie exclaimed as she threw her sweater-covered arms into the air. "There's no way in heck Mom and Dad are going to let you go back to Gravity Falls! Especially without me coming, too!"

"Oh, come on, Mabel!" Dipper followed his pouting sister around their shared bedroom. "It's only for the weekend. And Wendy really wants me to go. She even already paid my way…"

"Do you really think they'll care about that?" Mabel placed her hands on her hips, "I love Wen-Wen, too, but maybe you forgot what happened at Christmas? Mom is just coming around to "liking" Wendy, but do you honestly think she'll let the two of you go off on your own?"

"Maybe not at first," the younger Pines twin looked at the ground, "But maybe if you get my back when I talk to them about this – you know, an old fashion twin double-team…"

Mabel threw a hand out, "And why should I? There wasn't a ticket in there for me; only you! And we always do these things together, Dipper! It's not fair!"

"I know, I know, Mabel…" Dipper eased, "But you read her note. Wendy already apologized about that. That, and…" The cautious boy steadied his glance, "Well, doesn't this seem kinda different?"

"Kinda different?" Mabel repeated in confusion.

"You know," Dipper hesitated. "Wendy is asking for me to come back to Gravity Falls, alone, to share this "Fallers' Day" thing with her…"

"Stupid ol' fake Valentine's…" Mabel mumbled under her breath.

"…and that just seems different from how she usually is with this sorta stuff…" Dipper turned away from his twin in embarrassment. "I was just thinking that maybe Wendy spending Christmas with us changed things for the better…" He held the note up as evidence. "Maybe this…is like _the next step_ …"

"Dipper," Mabel sighed and shook her head, "Don't be getting all weird and clingy on Wendy again. Just because she sent you this doesn't mean that's what she's looking for…"

"Probably not," Dipper admitted. "But I should check it out, right? _Besides, you know what that day is to Wendy_. When's the next time I'll be there to celebrate with her?"

Mabel's face lightened, "Well…"

Dipper knew he was getting to her. As a closer, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "And to be honest, I can't do this without you, O great matchmaker-extraordinaire!"

Almost instantly, Mabel's attitude changed. "You're right, Dip. You're going to need all the help you can get on this one." She used both thumbs to point at herself, "And Mabel's just the gal to get things done!"

"Great!" Dipper clapped his hands together and rubbed them eagerly, "So, what's the plan?"

And so, after many hours of prying, pleading, and compromising, Dipper had been granted permission to return to Gravity Falls. While his father had been easily won over, recognizing what the mischievous redhead meant to his son, his mother remained unsure. It was only hearing countless lectures on "do's and do not's," her expectations while being away from home, and swearing up and down to check in on certain times on the dot, Dipper was given her blessing.

The memory came forth at the most appropriate time, as Dipper's wrist watch began to beep repeatedly. He dug into his right pocket, pulled out the temporary cell phone he had been given, and hit the button to quick dial. Within seconds, Dipper heard his mother's overly-concerned voice.

"Hey, Mom…" he greeted as he was hastily bombarded with dozens of questions. "No, I'm okay. No one bothered me on the bus. Nah, it's not really that cold out; not yet at least." He looked out the bus window to see a familiar sign pass by:

"WELCOME TO GRAVITY FALLS!"

Dipper relayed the note back to his parent, "Yeah, Mom, we actually just entered town right now." As his nervousness grew the closer he came to his sweetheart's location, the boy tried to end the conversation. "No offense, Mom, but I have to get ready. Wendy'll be waiting for me at the bus stop. Yeah, yeah, I'll make sure to tell her. I'm sure she'll appreciate hearing that from you guys. Okay, Mom, we'll call you in a few hours. Love you too. Bye."

Dipper turned to his right side, towards the seat occupied by his backpack. He picked it up, set it on his lap, and began to explore its contents for the umpteenth time. The teen burrowed pass the extra sets of clothes and supplies to a container sealed up tight. Dipper explored the package from every possible angle to ensure it was still in good standing.

Inside of the holder was a makeshift gift for Wendy – something that he had whipped up in a hurry with some minor assistance from Mabel. Once Dipper's inspection was complete, he heaved in relief and slid the container back into his knapsack. Granted, the sleuth knew that it wasn't the fanciest gift, but something had his favorite ginger would definitely appreciate; a small token of thanks for allowing him to share this day with her.

Suddenly, the bus came to a halt. Dipper lightly bumped back and forth in his seat due to the momentum. He clutched his backpack tightly to ensure the safety of Wendy's gift. All at once, the other passengers scrambled to gather their belongings and make their way from the vehicle. Wishing to wait out the traffic, Dipper reached back into his inventory and readied himself for the colder winters that Oregonian weather had to offer.

He threw on a fluffy blue jacket and took out two zipper-up leg extensions. Dipper attached them to the cut-off of his shorts, effectively turning them into full-pledged khaki pants. The middle-schooler was forced to wait to modify his outfit due to the usual California heat that he was accustomed to. With the bus near empty, Dipper swung the rucksack over his shoulder and made his way towards the exit; his tiny heart pounded like a jackhammer with each step taken.

Once off the bus, he hopped off the staircase and found himself surrounded by countless groups of rejoicing gatherings. They embraced, kissed, and snuggled together to fight off the harsh February chill. As Dipper passed through in search of his partner in crime, the same message could be hear over and over:

"Happy Fallers' Day!"

"Happy Fallers' Day, baby!"

"Oh, sweetie! Welcome home! Happy Fallers' Day!"

Snowflakes floated down on the breeze, adding to the thick white layer covering the terrain of Gravity Falls. Through the tiny amount of sunlight shining the overcast, Dipper noted that the snow sparkled like a million little diamonds across the withered greenery; it was the perfect scene for a heartfelt reunion…

…except that his lumberjack princess was nowhere to be found.

Dipper moved pass the groupings, desperately looking up and down for Wendy. "Any minute now," the love-struck explorer told himself, he would hear that low-key voice call his name – he would be blindsided as a gangly arm would reach out of the crowd and pull him lovingly into a super-tight bear hug…

…but that moment never came.

No one amongst his fellow travelers questioned the pint-size traveler that hiked to the end of the road and hoisted himself up into the guard rail to gain a better view of the scene. Not one person noticed as he waited for almost twenty minutes, his hopes rising and falling any time a new face entered the scene. One by one, they all left; most of them arm in arm, leaving him all alone in the wilderness.

With his psyche a mixture of nervousness and dejection, Dipper looked at his wrist watch to check the time and went back to rubbing his shoulders to fight the ever-growing shivers. Despite the odds, he half-heartedly expected his not-so-secret love to sneak up behind him and shout gleefully in his ears, "GOTCHA!"

But it didn't happen…

"Where is she?" The crafty auburn-haired beauty was indeed known for her pranks (and even more so for her tardiness), but this was something different altogether. "Did she get detention in school or a flat tire or something?" Dipper couldn't quite put his finger on it, but his inner instincts were on high alert – something was definitely wrong with this picture.

He stretched his legs outwards and went back into his pocket to retrieve his cell. As he flipped the phone open, a voice called out to him from the distance.

"I'm going to take a guess here, but you're Dipper, right?"

Dipper looked up to see someone walking towards him. He squinted past the falling snow to see a tall, lean teenager in a varsity jacket. His dark hair was poofed upwards in spite of the downpour. His hands were tucked deep within his red and white lined coat. The initials G.F.H.S. were monogrammed across his left breast and shoulders. The teen's tight-fitting blue jeans squeaked with every moment of his legs. His pure-white sneakers were muddied due to the mixture of dirt and snow splattered across the ground.

In Dipper's opinion, the older boy looked like he had stumbled out of a cheesy 1980s rom-com.

"But then again," the stranger stepped closer and flicked Wendy's trapper hat. "I'd know this old thing anywhere…"

Dipper hopped off of the rail as his curiosity grew, "Who are you? And how do you know my name?"

The stranger bent down to his level, "My name is Russ. I'm a friend of Wendy's. She's running a bit late, and asked me to come pick you up."

"Wait a sec – " Dipper put his hands up, "Wendy asked _you_ to come get _me_?" He thusly went into full-detective mode, "She told me that she would wait for me at the bus stop. What happened to her?"

Russ simply shrugged, "I'm not sure, buck-o. Wen called me about twenty minutes ago." The jock rolled his eyes and scoffs, "Talk about waiting 'till the last minute, eh?" He stood back up and motioned with his shoulder. "So, let's get going, little guy. It's freezing out here…"

The offer of a warm ride into town was tempted, but the situation just didn't sit right with Dipper. He continued on with his interrogation, "You said your name was Russ, right? I never heard Wendy mention you before…"

The towering high-schooler froze in his tracks. He slightly looked over his shoulder back at Dipper. "Well, to be honest, Wendy and I used to date." The boy rubbed his brown hair as he went on, "We kinda fell out of touch for a few years until recently when I came back into town. And so fate would have it, Wendy called in a favor, and here I am…"

With his story finished, Russ continued across the path, "Now, let's go, Dipper. The faster we leave this place, the faster I can take you to Wendy."

In spite of everything said, Dipper's feet didn't move one inch. Something was eerily wrong with the scene. Between the odd little twitches he displayed while retelling his story to his robotic-like movements, the varsity student before him definitely was more than he appeared to be.

"On second thought, Russ," Dipper hoisted his backpack onto his shoulders and began towards the opposite end of the highway. "Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. I'll just hit up some family and friends here in the meantime. Tell Wendy I'll check in with her later on…"

As soon as Dipper turned away, a hand shot out and roughly snared his wrist, spinning him back around. He found himself face-to-face with an agitated Russ, who stared at him with beady eyes and gritted teeth.

"Kid," he tightened his hold on Dipper. "You're coming with me, like it or not…"

"NO!" Dipper tried to yank himself free with his loose hand, "Get off! Let go! Let me go!"

Russ laughed as he started to tow his struggling captive closer. "Just stop it, you little brat. It's not going to do you any good to fight back."

Still, Dipper refused to yield. He turned around and shouted in the emptiness. "Someone?! Anyone?! Get this maniac off me!"

The bully let out another chortle, "Dream on, runt. There's no one around for miles! I made sure everyone left before I approached you. It's just you and me…"

Faced with this grim reality, Dipper took action, "In…that case…" He threw all of his weight forward, taking Russ off-guard. While the bigger teen was stunned, Dipper pulled his leg back and delivered to a shattering kick to the stranger's unmentionables.

"BAH!" Russ instantly dropped to his knees, releasing his hold on Dipper. Now that he was freed, the adolescent did not waste a moment to flee the scene, heading deep into the woods behind the railing. However, danger was only moments away as he could make out the squeaky footsteps coming up fast.

"You little bastard! Just wait until I get my hands on you! You're going to be sorry!"

Dipper hid behind one of the near-infinite trees that surrounded the area as he watched Russ past by him. The athlete finally stopped, noticing the trail of tiny footprints leading into the snowy area past the highway.

"Heh! Now I gotcha…"

"Crap!" Dipper leaned back against his temporary shelter. "If I keep running, this guy will just track me down again. I have to lose him ASAP…" He looked back down at his freezing legs as an old trick Wendy taught him came to mind.

Without a second to spare, Dipper ran in circles around the tree, ensuring that they would remain connected to his current trail in an endless loop. From there, he took a deep breath and hopped from single foot to single foot towards the next set of timbers, making sure to lightly cover his singular tracks with a layer of snow.

Now that his trap was set, Dipper began to climb up the backside of another nearby tree, hiding himself amidst of its mighty branches. From his position, he could view the entire scene without fear of being spotted. Sure enough, Russ stumbled onto the area as he traced his prey's tracks. As Dipper planned, he watched as the brute traveled in circles alongside the mighty oak wood without realizing something was off.

"Wow!" Dipper looked on in disbelief, "I figured he was dumb, but this; this is like _super-stereotypical jock-strap kind of dumb!"_

After a minute of searching, Russ came to a halt and realized he had been had. "Dammit!" He threw his fist against the tree as a mound of snow sprinkled on top of him. "I can't believe I lost him!"

With the enemy subdued for the moment, Dipper softly took out his cell phone to call in reinforcements. After setting the sound to "silent," he went on to shoot a text to Wendy:

"WENDY! THERE WAS THIS CRAZY JOCK-KID WAITING FOR ME AT THE BUS STOP! I NEED YOUR HELP! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

After the message was sent, Dipper shut the phone and nettled himself further into the treetop as he awaited his rescue. His eyes widened in absolute horror as a second later, he could hear something vibrating in Russ's pocket. The jock stopped in his tracks, took out his fancy smart phone, and chuckled. "Maybe I still have a chance to catch 'im…" He dialed something in his phone and stared at the bright screen as he awaited a response.

"No…" Dipper shook his head in disbelief. "It can't be! It just can't be!" He turned towards his own modest phone, taking a second to ready himself for more bad news. Sure enough, there was a message from Wendy's new phone number:

"DIPPER, BUDDY. YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG! RUSS IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE! JUST DO WHAT HE SAYS AND HE'LL BRING YOU OVER TO ME. SEE YOU SOON! I CAN'T WAIT!"

Dipper lowered the phone and gazed down at his newest nemesis. _"What in the – what's going on? I've been talking with this guy all along? I don't understand – "_

In spite of the numerous questions that sprang up at the moment, Dipper was sure of one thing: the only way he would be able to escape unscathed is if he got Russ to leave. But how?

"Come on, Dip!" He tapped the phone against his forehead. "Think, think!" He paused as he grasped that the key to his salvation was already in his hand. With a devious smirk, Dipper went back into his phone and hastily texted a new note to "Wendy's" number:

"SORRY, WENDY, BUT YOUR FRIEND SEEMS LIKE A TOTAL CREEP. I'M ALMOST DOWN THE ROAD ALREADY. I THINK I CAN FLAG DOWN THE BUS DRIVER IF I HURRY..."

Dipper waited as the message traveled down to Russ's phone. Alerted by a second vibration, the brute retrieved his phone and sped through the new message. His eyes lit up as soon as he processed the new information. "Like hell you are, shrimp!"

He took off like a bullet towards the road leading away from Gravity Falls. As he passed by Dipper's tree, he hurriedly bumped it with his shoulder, sending a tremor upwards. The quake nearly knocked the kid from his hiding spot, forcing him to dangle from the nearest branch.

"WHOA!"

Russ stopped, swearing that he could have heard someone cry out. After a second to check out the scene, he chalked it up to being the winter wind howling, and went on his way. In a few moments, the threat became nothing more than a blurry shape fading back into the hazy distance.

Dipper let go of the branch, falling back to the earth as the snow padded his landing. He began to pace back and forth, taking a moment to try to process this nightmarish scenario:

 _"So, hold up. This "Russ" guy is the one who's been responding to Wendy's texts? But for how long? Was he the one that send me that letter and ticket? And if so, why? What would he want from me?"_

His first instinct was to call home and let them know what had just happened, figuring that his parents and Mabel would be there in a few hours to help him out of this situation…

 _"But what about Wendy?"_

The single thought stopped Dipper in mid-dial. The wheels in his head continued to turn:

 _"There is a reason that this guy assumed Wendy's identity. Even when he had me in his clutches, Russ kept bringing up her name. Chances are that she's involved in whatever's going on, and I have to find out what…"_

He held the phone at his side and sighed, " _If I call home now, Mom and Dad will just overreact and demand I come home now. They wouldn't care if something's the matter with Wendy or not. I guess…I'm on my own for the moment…"_

Tucking Wendy's cap firmly against his head for warmth, Dipper carefully began his journey back towards Gravity Falls, frantic to find out the mystery behind this strange occurrence. As he walked alongside the road, the detective opened his phone and began to search his contacts list.

 _"C'mon! It's gotta be here! Please! Please tell me I didn't erase it…"_

His brown eyes grew large as he made his discovery. Luckily, he didn't take the time to delete Wendy's old phone number within the last week. As Dipper marched though the ever-thickening snow, he launched a new text in hope of reaching his crush in the nick of time:

"WENDY, PLEASE CALL ME BACK ASAP! SOMETHING STRANGE IS GOING ON…"


	2. Chapter 2

"Brrr…"

Dipper rubbed his shoulders in an effort to warm his frozen body. Despite his expectations, his long-sleeved clothing did little to fight off the frigid winter atmosphere of Gravity Falls. His fingertips were numbed, due to forgetting to bring along gloves (regardless of his mother's countless warnings). His usually pink nose was now a frostbitten red. The only fortunate part of the situation was that Wendy's trusty brown cap managed to keep his ears and back of his head toasty.

Once he had reached Main Street, Dipper was amazed to find that there wasn't nearly a soul out on the streets of Gravity Falls. Almost every shop and business looked completely dead. He wondered if it was due to the weather or if the townspeople were simply focused on the current holiday.

The sun's rays barely made it though the ever-growing overcast, leaving the mountain skies a dreary grey as the snowflakes endlessly descended onto the earth; Dipper couldn't decide if to take this as a sort of ominous sign of things to come or not.

From the foggy distance, the tired traveler could make out a glowing sign in the distance. Excited by the glimpse of life, Dipper raced to the business and past its automatic doors. As soon as he rushed through, they snapped shut, and he could instantly feel a rush of forced heat come down upon him.

"Ahh!"

The threat of his chaser came back to mind, prompting Dipper to duck against the closest wall. Who knew if that crazy Russ guy was able to follow him through the harsh terrain? His concerns quickly moved to that of the well-being of his crush.

Dipper pulled out his cell and opened it. Much to his dismay, the LCD screen remained blank from any missed calls or messages.

 _"Why hasn't Wendy written me back yet? I hope she's okay…"_

A variety of odd beeps and bloops made Dipper raise his head. In all of the madness surrounding him, he didn't even realize what building he had stumbled into. Countless wooden cabinets had been neatly aligned in several rows. Every possible type of color flashed across the usually-dank hall, as all types of voices called out for new challengers as their programmed attract modes ran without end.

To any other teenage boy, such a place would seem like heaven on earth, but considering all of the history he shared with this particular attraction, Dipper backed away from the aisle back into the walling.

 _"Oh no! I'm back at the Arcade!"_

He cursed his ignorance – being cold and afraid couldn't excuse walking straight into one of the most dangerous locations Gravity Falls had to offer.

 _"Now, hang on a second, Dipper – "_ He started to talk himself down to try to settle his tension, _"Things have definitely calmed down weirdness-wise since what happened last year with Bill. Everything here should be back to normal…right?"_

However, the small detective simply couldn't shake off what had happened here during his initial three-month stay in town. What had began as a simple day off, with Soos and Wendy taking the Pines twins to the arcade, _turned into an event that could easily be considered its own saga._

When threatened by Wendy's latest ex-boyfriend, Robbie, Dipper had managed to release the pixilated world warrior, Rumble McSkirmish, from his "Fight Fighters" arcade game, and onto reality via a hidden code etched into the cabinet.

 _From that moment, a bridge between the physical and digital dimensions had been created, resulting in a series of misadventures where Dipper, Wendy, and Mabel had been forced to combat some of the most treacherous and fanatical beings that the gaming worlds had to offer._

All of this came to a head as Rumble himself battled alongside Dipper's friends and family as they fought to regain the fallen town from the grips of Bill Cipher's insanity. In the throes of victory, peace had returned to both realms as an unspoken truce was made, with Rumble returning to his world with a simple gesture of thanks.

Of all the mysteries Dipper had encountered in Gravity Falls, none had left him most mystified than this one. There wasn't any record of the incidence in any of Grunkle Ford's journals. Where did the secret code come from? Was there someone else that opened the way to the video game universe before him?

Another ice-cold breeze prompted Dipper to regain his courage, moving him further into the Arcade. He noticed as yet again, there wasn't an attendant waiting at the welcome desk. Didn't Wendy's friends help run this place?

 _"I mean, I've played video games since then,"_ Dipper continued on, making sure to take his time as he passed every bend, _"Nothing like that happened back home in Piedmont…"_

In spite of his own comforting words, Dipper already knew the truth – Gravity Falls had a horrible knack for being able to transform the ordinary into something unexpected. If there was a place where the laws of physics could fail to exist at any possible moment, _it would be here._

"Hello?" The hesitant teen cupped his hand over his mouth, "Is anyone here?" His nerves lit up with every step taken. From out in the distance, Dipper sworn to hear someone crying out in anguish.

"Ah! Oh! Ah! Ah!"

He picked up the pace, closing in on his only clue. Dipper could only wish that something positive was waiting for him around the corner, _as had been planned last time_ , but in truth, knew it would be anything but.

As Dipper turned, he paused, freezing in place at the incredible sight a few yards away.

At the back end of arcade machines, a blue-haired player swore and moaned aloud as he rocked back and forth against the cabinet he was playing at. His slightly tinted sunglasses reflected the colors of the video game currently being flashed at him. Dipper had to blink several times to ready his vision as the stranger's hands appeared to vanish in a blur as they switched between the different buttons placed on the console.

It was only after his double take that astonished adolescent realized why the scene was so incredible:

 _"I can't believe it; this guy's playing two players at the same time!"_

Dipper watched in careful awe, taking precaution not to disturb the rare feat occurring before his eyes. The unknown player went between joystick to buttons to joysticks back to buttons as his shaded eyes switched between all the chaotic action on screen and the two scoreboards on the upper left and right corners.

"STAGE CLEARED!"

"Whoa!" Dipper marveled at the gamer taking a small break as the next level loaded, "Talk about mad skills…"

The outsider never took his eyes off the screen, moving his head to meet that of the beverage mounted on the console pad. He took a noisy slurp from the straw before replying to Dipper's compliment, "Yeah, right! If I was doing so great, I wouldn't be down by 1, 000 points on this guy…" The player used his head to motion towards his right side.

"But still – "

"Hold that thought – I'm at the final boss…"

Dipper held his tongue as he went on with watching the play through. Even though he was decently capable at most modern games (and even having a knack for the classics such as this), the thirteen-year-old knew that this guy's talent was of another level altogether. He couldn't tell if the mysterious challenger was blinking or _even breathing_ during this last onslaught. The shadowy movements of the game player became too fast for even Dipper to register cognitively. The unit's levers and springs whined under the extreme duress.

 _"If he keeps going like this, that machine's going to blow!"_

"YOU ARE WINNER!" An electronic voice shouted out, "THIS GAME OVER IS HAPPY END!"

The victorious young man seemed to shrink down at the sign of the credits scrolling against a black background. Even with the game finally over, he still refused to take his eyes off of the screen.

Dipper stepped forward, figuring it was safe to interrupt, "Excuse me? I don't mean to bother you, but do you know where everyone went? Even those two geeky guys at the door seem to be missing…"

The elder male chuckled as he spun the dual joysticks between his fingertips, "Oh, those guys? They're old friends of mine. They kinda took off for the night and left me free-run of this place." He scoffed and blew a lock of blue hair from his face, "Who'dya thunk it, eh? Even dorks like them ended up with dates for tonight. I tell you, kid – _the times; they're a-changin'."_

"Tell me about it," Dipper looked at the boy's chest, seeing that he sported a black shirt with a red and blue _Linguini Brother_ and the green-dressed Mushroom Princess. Beneath the characters, a white font spelled out: "I SCORED WITH THE PRINCESS!"

"Heh, nice shirt…"

"This?" The stranger gently tugged at the cloth, "Yep. This is my good-luck rag. It really helps out with this game. It can be a real drag sometimes; especially the last five minutes…"

"You could have fooled me," Dipper admitted in earnest. "It looked like you kicked its butt seven ways from Sunday..."

"Nah," the player let his sunglasses slide down his nose as he rubbed his worn eyes." Don't get me wrong – it was a good play though, but not my best…"

"You gonna go again?"

"Maybe…" He looked at the _Legends & Fables_ themed watch on his wrist, "To be honest, I just stopped here to kill time. I have to go to this little get-together later tonight, and I didn't have anything better to do until then…"

"Yeah…" Dipper sighed as he recalled how his dream weekend getaway with his favorite redhead just went up in smoke. "It seems like everyone has plans for today, huh?"

The visitor tapped the joysticks in a nippy fashion, forcing Dipper to look back at the screen. He saw numerous letters fly across the monitor until only three flashed brightly.

"P…S…Y…" Dipper spelt out, "Are those your initials?"

"Kinda…" With his game finally over, the taller boy finally turned to properly introduce himself, _"The name's Edwin Wirley, but my gaming handle's Psyche."_ As he laid eyes on Dipper, Psyche froze in place as the grin was wiped from his face. He removed his sunglasses and squinted hard, "Hey, it's you!"

"It's… _me_?" Dipper pointed at himself in confusion. "I don't – "

"Yeah! It's you! _You're the last one!_ You're the kid that those douchebags were looking for! Wasn't that dingus Russ supposed to meet you at the bus stop?"

Dipper's stomach immediately fell to his feet. _"What the – This guy's involved too?!"_ He flashed back on his mother's almost-nagging advice about talking to strangers, noting on the irony of the situation. Still, Dipper forced a straight face, figuring that he could talk his way out of trouble.

"Uh…" the little sleuth instantly played dumb, "I think you have the wrong person. I'm just in town to visit some family." He shrugged his shoulders, "And I don't even know anyone named "Russ" in the first place…"

"Dude, come on!" Psyche dug into his jean pocket and pulled out his touch-screen smart phone. He used his thumbs to scroll through several menus, only to spin the device around a moment later, "See! _That's you!_ That's you in the picture!"

Dipper couldn't believe his eyes. On Psyche's phone, there was a JPEG copy of his beloved selfie of Wendy and him in each other's arms. Both friends smiled brightly as the lumberjane held her partner in crime up to meet her height level. Dipper's left arm stretched out of the frame, indicating that he had taken the snapshot.

 _"Okay, now things are getting super-creepy…"_ Dipper fought to subdue any telltale signs of worry, _"How did this guy get a copy of our picture? And they made it digital, too!_ "

In lieu of the evidence presented against him, the stunned middle-schooler kept his cool. He feigned ignorance, pretending to peer closer to examine the photo.

"Hmm…" Dipper shook his head in denial, "That's not me. Doesn't look a thing like me. And besides…" He pointed at the trapper hat on his head, and back towards the phone, "That guy has a totally different cap than me…"

"Kid, really?!" Psyche held his index finger over Wendy's portrait, "That's her hat! _You're totally wearing Wendy's hat!_ How dense do you think I am?"

"Uhh…"

"You know," he put his phone away for safe keeping. "You might have been able to fool that lumbering meathead, but give me a bit of credit, will ya?" Psyche folded his arms and pinched his nose, "I'll bet a bag of tokens you picked that up from _her_. I tell you – Wendy's an awesome chick, but she thinks that she's so much smarter than anyone else – that she can fool anyone and get away with it."

"Huh?"

"I'm serious. I mean, that dirtbag Russ totally deserved it. Especially towards the end of their relationship; by then, he treated her more like a drill coach than a boyfriend. I was glad that she one-upped that tool in front of all his stupid beefcake friends. That dude definitely needed to be taken down a peg or two…"

Psyche threw a hand over his chest, "But what about me, huh? What'd I do to deserve to be left in the dust by Miss Corduroy?" He swiped at the arcade machines surrounding them, "Because I actually had something to dedicate my life to?" He jeered, "But no! That wasn't good enough for her – _Miss "Jack of All Trades – Master of None!"_ Wendy doesn't have the attention span to focus on something the way I did with this stuff! She just couldn't understand what it takes to reach this level of excellence…"

At last, Dipper found the common link between his two aggressors, "Wait a second. You mean that you and Wendy dated?" He promptly covered his mouth, realizing that he had given himself away.

"You got it, chief," Psyche confirmed. "At least, we did until she decided that I was boring and supposedly, not worth her time. It's funny – with Russ, I always thought that Wendy left because she was tired of being challenged by a brainless jock, but I was dead wrong. If Wendy isn't the center of attention – the best at what's happening, or the one calling the shots, it drives her spotted butt loco! That's why she hangs out with those lame-ass posers of hers…"

His tone grew angrier as his memory deepened, "I swear it, man. One minute, the girl's like, _"Oh, Psyche, you're so awesome at these games! You gotta teach me to play like you do! We should hang out every afternoon here at the Arcade…_ " He spun his hand as he went on with his story, "And the next minute, she yells at me about playing video games all day! I'm like, _"Sorry that I have to practice to maintain my skill!"_ I don't wail on her deadbeat-drunken dad for doing nothing but chopping down trees, do I?"

Dipper had reached full-panic mode as the game master's attitude shifted uncontrollably. He started to back away with his hands held out in peace, "That's…really messed up, man. Sorry, but I have to go now. I'll make sure to tell Wendy you say "hi" when I see her…"

*CLINK! CLINK!*

He looked over his shoulder to see that the path he originally came from was now blocked by two neon-colored, sharpened axes. Dipper followed the blades to their handles and gasped loudly.

 _They had come from two arcade cabinets standing parallel to one another._

Dipper spun around to see Psyche standing firmly in position with his arms stretched outwards. His hands and eyes were glowing in the same multi-colored highlights. Psyche began to walk towards his alarmed adversary, "No can do, shrimp. The boss man says you're as much part of this as we are. I gotta bring you in with me…"

Yet, Dipper was left speechless by what had just occurred, "How – How did you do that? I thought we closed all the digital passageways here!"

"It's like I told ya, pally," Psyche clutched his shining fist tight. " _It's pure gaming nirvana_ ; I ascended, reaching a level of ability where the human mind and the machinery of the digital world work in tandem as one…" He reached behind him as the surrounding arcade machines gave off a shower of sparks, making it look as if celebratory fireworks were popping off in his honor.

"That's what I tried telling Wendy; that such things aren't possible without the hard work to show for it. But did she care? No! If only she had a little patience, I could have shared with all of this with her. Everything that the gaming universes had to offer would have been at our fingertips, and – "

Psyche's tirade came to an abrupt end, as the meaning of Dipper's words finally struck him. "Hang on!" He called time out with his hands, "You said – You KNOW about the bridge between worlds?!"

Dipper rubbed the side of his head as the fluffy hat made him itchy, "Well, yeah…"

"How could a whelp like you – when did you find out about this?"

"Umm…when Wendy brought me to the Arcade last summer…"

"She…took…YOU…HERE?!" Dipper could see Psyche's eyeballs glow deeper from behind his black shades. "After everything that she said – " He hoisted his arms downwards, making every cabinet in the building rattle in place. "And what did you two do here, huh?"

"I – I taught her how to play " _Fight Fighters_ "…"

"YOU WHAT?!"

With that last outburst, the arcade machines violently trembled, shattering the floor tiles beneath them. The buttons and paddles of each set-tops buzzed and clicked madly.

Dipper knew that if he didn't do something, this maniac was going to bring the building down around them!

"Hey, man…" Dipper stepped forward, "Take it easy, or else – "

"Or else what, punk?!" Psyche's hands started to flash again, "You going to make me?! You know what, small fry? There's a lot of a things you can do to a dude, but you NEVER go against the gamer's code…"

Dipper raised an eyebrow, "The…what?"

Psyche pointed towards the baffled child, "You don't mess with another gamer's _waifu_!"

"Wendy is your WHAT?!"

All at once, every arcade cabinet sprang to life, each projecting a number of different hazards in Dipper's direction. He turned to his left to see that the nearest screen was radiating a bright orange. Dipper threw himself to the floor as waves of pixilated 8-bit fireballs traveled through the sky, leaving one monitor and entering another.

In fear of damaging Wendy's trademark cap, her small admirer took the hat off and hastily examined it. Thankfully, there wasn't as much as a single singe on it.

*WHAM!*

A digital spiked mace slammed down onto the ground loudly, splintering the surface into hundreds of pieces. It had barely missed Dipper's head by mere inches. He watched in horror, never blinking once, as the attached ball was dragged back to its respective panel.

Dipper backpedaled on his hands and legs until he bumped into another stand. He stood up, ready to make an escape, only to feel something reach out and snag him firmly. A green-palette ninja arm wrapped itself around Dipper's center, pinning him against the front of the machine.

"No!" He kicked and squirming in an attempt to break free, "Lemme go!"

Psyche approached the trapped child as he cracked his knuckles, "The boss said that you have to make it there tonight, but he didn't say you had to be in one piece…"

"Who is this boss you keep squawking about?" Dipper demanded. "Is that where Wendy is? With this guy?!"

His vanquisher only smirked at the question, "You'll find out soon enough. Until then, we'll play a little game…"

Psyche extended his arms away from his body as the closest arcade machines began to flicker a fire-engine red. Two muscular biceps stemmed from the screens, each hand placed up in a throbbing, tied-off boxing glove. They flexed and shifted position until both had Dipper in their sights.

"…it's called, _"Beat on the whelp until he cries like a little girl!_ ""

The boxing gloved arms drew back as Dipper tried to wiggle out of the digital grasp. "No, no, no, no…"

Just as the twin arms were about to deliver their double killing blow, the small challenger was able to slip loose, landing hard on his knees. The fists cracked the screen that held him down the middle, sending the green ninja arm into a state of pixilated flux.

Now back on his feet, Dipper dashed down the only open passage as a barrage of yellow pellets were launched from the arcade units he passed, crashing into the background as would machine gun fire.

 _"How can I beat this nutjob? He's able to control virtual reality with his very will!"_

As Dipper looked down the hall, he spotted something that gave him hope. A desperate plan started to form in his head.

 _"Maybe – would he even want to help me?"_ Ignoring his doubts, he bolted towards the familiar landmark of the Arcade, keeping his head lowered to avoid the spray of bullets – the lone, yet incredibly vintage copy of "Fight Fighters" stationed on the edge of the hall.

After running from what seemed like an eternity, Dipper stood on his tip-toes and jammed the "Player 1 Start" button

"Come on, come on, come on…" The nerve-wrecked teen waited on edge for the character select screen to load, using his joystick to select his chosen champion as fast as possible. He slapped the confirm button and counted the seconds until the game started.

"ROUND 1 FIGHT!"

"Now..." Dipper remember how the summoning happened the first time, "I have to put in the code, and – "

Suddenly, he felt something envelop around his left ankle; and then his right. With one swift yank, Dipper was pulled off his feet and into the air. In a panic, he reached out and held on to both joysticks for dear life. The drawn out child cried out in agony as his joints popped. Dipper looked over his shoulder to see that each leg had been seized by purple tentacles reaching out of corresponding arcade machines. They reeled in their prize, trying to force Dipper away from the source of his salvation.

He strained his noodle-arms as he struggled to put in the secret maneuver to unleash ultimate power:

"Let's see: _back, back, punch, punch_ – AAH!" Another heave threw Dipper off-task, "Almost there – _forward, back, down, kick, kick, quarter-circle, triple-punch_ – GAH! _And kick_!"

All electricity ceased to flow through the machine before it exploded in a brilliant white light. Dipper turned his head to avoid being blinded. A deafening voice called out from the arcade game:

"SELECT YOUR CHARACTER!"

Dipper shouted as his fingers began to slip from the joysticks, "I choose…Rumble McSmirkish!"

"HI-YA!"

The force of the tentacles seemed to vanish as a blurry hand traveled through the air. As Dipper fell, something caught him by the backpack just before he smacked the ground. Before he knew it, the boy was winched upwards, eventually meeting the scarred face of Rumble McSmirkish.

"Rumble! You're here!"

The video game hero fully opened his one-remaining eye, "Little Child-Boy? Why is it that you have Rumble back to the living world?"

"Sorry about that, man," Dipper apologized. "But I really need your help. There's this freaky guy after me, and he has all of these crazy powers, and – "

Rumble gently set Dipper on the floor as a sorrowful expression came over him, "I am sorry, young one, but Rumble does not pursue the way of the warrior any longer…"

Dipper was dumbfounded by this answer, "But Rumble – "

"It's afraid it is true. Ever since I was joined by my beloved .GIFfany, I have found a new sense of inner peace – something I have never felt before…"

"Please, Rumble! You need to listen – "

"it is like I said…" The fighter stopped in mid-sentence as he spotted another person in the distance. Upon recognizing him, Rumble pointed outwards and screamed, "YOU!"

"Yes, Rumble," Psyche held up a blazing hand, " _It's me_ …"

Dipper jerked on Rumble's tatters, "That's the guy, Rumble! He's part of this weird group. They want to kidnap me and Wendy – "

"Huh?" The name struck a chord with the overbearing karate expert, "You mean your " _red-haired, ginger warrior princess_?""

"Yes, _her_!" Dipper nodded. "I can't find Wendy, and I think this guy has something to do with it…"

Rumble's glance was no longer on Dipper, but set firmly on the threat before them. "I have misjudged you in the past, " _he who fights like a girl_." I had thought that you were dishonorable and deceitful, but I understand now. Sometimes, we do such things in order to make sure our loved ones are protected…"

He tightened his fists, "I will renounce my vow this one time, for the sake of you and your beloved. Such action is needed, especially when against a foe like this!"

"Oh, spare us the dramatics, won't you, Rumble?" Psyche laughed away the speech with a wave, "Are you still salty that you're not my first-pick anymore? I told you, buddy. It's not my fault the programmers nerfed you in " _Hyper Super Turbo X_."

"Heed my warning," Rumble shielded Dipper as his hand formed a fireball. "Leave him be, or face my wrath!"

"Really?!" The light in Psyche's palm grew larger. "I'd like to see you try, has-been! I'm the one that originally let you out of that machine, and I'll be more than happy to put you back!"

 _"What?!"_ Dipper took note of this claim. _"So, he created that code on the side of the "Fight Fighters" machine?"_

Rumble's head spun around to address Dipper, "Flee this place, weak one. This battlefield is no longer a place for you…"

"Rumble, I – "

"Just go. Hurry and find your princess before it is too late!"

"Rumble – "

"This is the least I can do for you." The digital warrior faced his destiny as he steadied his footing. "It is a small thanks for showing me what is truly important in life; now go!"

"Rumble…" Dipper offered a small bow of respect, "Thank you for everything…"

As the two adversaries charged towards each other, both screeching at the top of their lungs, Dipper hurried from the Arcade, never daring to look back behind him until he was safely across the street. He marveled at the sight inside, watching as random lights flashed from the several windows of the building. Several explosions and crashes could be heard echoing from the inside.

"Wow! They're really going at it, aren't they?"

The beams grew brighter and more rapid until something unexpected happened…

*KA-BOOM!*

Dipper was thrown off of his feet and into his back in the snow. He rose to his feet, and surveyed the scene, finding that the Arcade had once again ended up in flames for the umpteenth time.

"Not again!" The heartbroken boy held the trapper hat against his chest as a sign of respect for the pugilist that sacrificed everything for his sake, "Man, Wendy's friends are going to be so pissed when they find out about this! They'll be grounded for life after this one…"

His side quivered involuntarily. At first, Dipper thought it was his jitters calming down, but after reaching into his pocket for confirmation, he found that his cell was vibrating. Dipper opened the flip phone, his brown eyes growing starry upon seeing who was calling.

*CLICK!*

 _"Wendy?!"_ He pouted out a sentence per second, "Wendy?! Are you okay?! Where are you?!"

Dipper couldn't make out anything but complete static in the background. After a moment, a girl's voice faintly called out, "Dipper?"

"Yeah," he answered with a tremble. "It's me; it's Dip. Where are you?"

The uneasy silence returned, putting Dipper back on edge. The almost-ghostly tone returned, _"The pool…_ " The rest of her message was covered by the interference, " _The pool…hurry…_ "

Dipper switched to holding the phone with both hands, "Don't worry, Wendy! I'm on the way! Just…just sit tight, okay?"

A second later, the line went dead. Knowing that time was against him, Dipper threw the phone back into his pocket and dashed into the woods; the fastest way to the Gravity Falls Pool being by shortcut. He fought against the unforgiving wind and cold as he went on with his journey, his mind racing at what could await him at his next destination…


	3. Chapter 3

"Almost…there…"

Dipper choked out the words; a self-reassurance that his agony would not be in vain. His body ached from being thrown around by Psyche Wirley and his supernatural gaming powers. His nerves remained on end from these random attacks from the strange boys; the idea that each had claimed to know Wendy rang like a silent alarm in the back of his mind.

The increasing snow fall had only worsened the circumstances, slowing his progress with every taken step. In his excitement to rejoin his beloved crush, the little sleuth hadn't properly prepared for the harsh Oregonian elements. A heavier coat and zipper-legged jeans could only provide so much protection from the cold.

He brushed the clinging white away from the top of Wendy's trapper hat, the closest thing to a symbol of her love he had, to preserve the little bit of warmth still left within.

As Dipper was distracted, placing the cleaned cap back onto of his dark-brown crown, he accidentally walked shoulder-first into a close-by redwood. Almost instantaneously, a gallon of liquid white poured down over him, coating him from top to bottom in liquid frost.

"BAAAH!"

He screamed aloud, his voice echoing throughout the hollow woods as Dipper leapt from the pile, like a little snowman springing to life, as he tried to rid himself of all excess snow.

*BZZT-BZZZT!* *BZZT-BZZZT!*

Dipper's coat pocket began to vibrate faster and faster. He wiggled about to clear off his arms and stick his numbed hand into the pouch, fumbling around as he opened the shaking phone. Dipper bought the cell to his ear, "Wendy? Wendy?!"

"Jeez!" a high-pitched voice answered. "Somebody's got "Wendy-on-the-brain!""

"What?!" Dipper responded in shock, "Mabel?!"

"The one and only!" The metal-mouthed pixie greeted her twin, "I'm just checking in to see how my favorite two lovebirds are holding up?"

"Mabel," Dipper pinched the space between his eyes, knowing that this was the very last thing he needed added to his plate of worries. "This really isn't a good – "

"Oh…" she playfully interrupted, "Am I stopping you guys from getting all " _romantic-like?_ "

"Seriously, Mabel – "

"Hold the phone…" her tone changed as she realized something was amiss. "You thought I was Wendy? But…isn't Wendy with you?"

"Umm…"

"Dipper, what's going on?"

"Nothing!" He hastily replied. "Nothing is going on! Now, please, I have to go – "

"Dipper!" Mabel ordered. "Spill it, or I swear I'll go to Mom and Dad…"

"Okay! Okay!" Dipper finally relented as he continued his journey to the Gravity Falls Public Pool. "Wendy is…I can't find her…"

"What?!"

"Yeah…" He itched the back of his head with his free hand, "I know…"

"Well, wasn't she waiting for you at the bus stop?"

"Actually…" Dipper dodged around another tree, "It's like this. After I got off the bus, I waited for Wendy until everyone else left. That's when this weird jock-y guy came up to me and told me that Wendy sent him to come pick me up…"

"That's…so weird…"

"That's what I thought, too! You should have seen this guy, Mabel. He looked okay at first, but his eyes – "

Mabel gasped, "They weren't yellow and cat-y like " _you-know-who's_ ," right?"

"No, thank heaven for that. It was like he was calm one second, and the next, unhinged, like a broken robot or something. I started to walk away, but he grabbed me and tried to drag me along with him! It turns out that _he_ sent that ticket back to Gravity Falls, not Wendy!"

The eldest Pines twin let out another heave, "I don't believe it! And then what happened?"

Dipper went on, "I was able to hide and trick him into leaving. Even worse, I went into town and ducked into the Arcade to get out of the snow. And guess what was waiting for me? Another weirdo in cahoots with the other guy!"

"And what was his story?"

"Nothing much," Dipper said with sarcastic wit, "You know, besides the ability to control virtual reality with his every will…"

"Whoa…"

"And the crazy thing is that both of these guys said that they used to date Wendy…"

"Really? What were their names?"

"Umm…the jock-strap was named Russ, and the gamer said his "handle" was Psyche."

"That sounds so familiar…" Mabel noted. "But anyways, Dipper, this whole thing sounds super-messed up. I mean, beyond Gravity Falls' levels of strange!"

"Preaching to the choir, Mabel…" Dipper climbed up a snowy hill bank. He could see the Pool over the next ridge.

"Maybe…" She hesitated for a moment, "Maybe we should tell Mom about this…"

"No!" Dipper shouted. "No way! Absolutely not!"

"But Dipper!"

"Think about it for a second, Mabel," Dipper elaborated. "Wendy isn't Mom's favorite person, and something like this would set her over the edge. She'd drag me home, lecturing me every second of the way, blaming Wendy for everything that happened, even though it's not her fault!"

"Dipper…"

"And the next thing you know, it'll be a cold day in "you-know-where" before I'll be able see Wendy or Gravity Falls again. And the same'll go for you, too…"

He could make out a brief silence, followed up a deep sigh on his sister's end.

"You're right…"

"I know this stinks, Mabel, but the only way I'm going to figure out what this is all about is by finding Wendy. I'm on my way to her right now, so hopefully, this whole thing will be over with soon."

"So, what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

Dipper made it back to flat land, ending up at the gated entrance of the Gravity Falls Pool, "Just run interference for me. Keep Mom and Dad busy if you can. The more their minds are elsewhere, the better. I'll try to call when I can…"

"But, Dipper…"

His twin's voice faded away as Dipper's sights focused on something behind the iron-linked fence. In the distance, he could make out someone keeled over in the middle of the frozen water. He narrowed his eyes further to make out a flannelled shirt and a brown trapper hat – the exact same kind he wore.

"Oh no! WENDY!"

"What?!" Mabel questioned. "What's happening?!"

"It's Wendy! I think it's Wendy!" He removed the phone from his ear and yelled into the receiver, "Sorry, Mabel, but I gotta go!"

"Dipper, wait -!"

*CLICK!*

Closing his flip phone, Dipper went to scale the fence, only to be forced to a halt. The top of the gate had been laced with razor-sharp barbed wire. The spiked ends could easily slice his soft flesh into ribbons.

"Dammit, Mr. Poolcheck!" He let go of the fence and dropped back to the earth. " _He probably added these things after Wendy broke into the pool that one time after we were banned…_ "

Taking another glance at the fallen body on the ice renewed Dipper's ambitions. He ran around the main building in hopes of finding another opened way in. After taking a lap around, the boy found that the only other way into the pool was through the main entrance.

Dipper turned the knob, finding that it was locked tight. He raised his head to see that a notice had been tacked onto the door:

"POOL CLOSED UNTIL BEGINNING OF SUMMER. TRY AGAIN LATER"

"I don't have until summer!" Dipper threw his shoulder into the door over and over in a futile effort to bust it open. "I have to get in there NOW!"

As his arm began to grow sore, the thirteen-year-old ceased his attempt; reality had made it clear that he wasn't going to get it by brute force alone.

"Okay, then," Dipper folded his arms against his chest, "How else can I get in there?" His thoughts moved again to his fallen sweetheart stranded on the other side, " _How would Wendy get in there_?"

An idea came to mind. Instead of using strength, Dipper would use tact to figure out how to get inside. He dug into his long-pants pocket and pulled out his wallet. He filled through its contents until he found his plastic Middle School ID. With new tool in hand, Dipper dropped one knee and shoved the card between the door's crack, hoping to find the space between the bolts. He threw his weight against the frame, stumbling over into his side as the door gave way.

"Wow…" Dipper picked himself back up, "I can't believe that actually worked…"

 _"Of course it worked,"_ the nagging little voice at the back of his mind added, _""She" wouldn't have taught you that trick for nothing…"_

Now inside, Dipper hurried though the corridor, running past the check-in-desk, and entering the locker room. To his surprise, the atmosphere inside of the building was even colder than it was outdoors. His teeth chattered without any sense of control, prompting him to wrap his arms around his shoulders for warmth. The relaxing cool that the damp room usually offered him in the summertime was now betraying him.

"W-W-Wendy…I-I-I'm c-c-coming! J-J-Just hang on!"

A few seconds later, Dipper was back outside, but on the other side of the fence. He looked ahead to see that the lumberjack-donning figure hadn't moved an inch from its spot on the ice.

 _"What if…those jerks did something to her? What if I'm too late?"_

Dipper carefully approached the frozen water bank. He placed a sneaker down on the frost, only to have it slip out from under him. Luckily, he caught himself before he completely lost his balance.

 _"Have to take things slow…"_ the boy paced himself, switching his gaze between the fallen form and the icy flooring, _"Who knows how solid this stuff is…"_

He took off his backpack and left it at the front of the sheet, hoping to lessen some of his extra weight. Holding his arms outwards like an acrobat, Dipper walked towards the center of the pool, aligning each step from heel to toe. He froze every time the ice would quake and groan, in fear that he would fall beneath the clear sheet.

"Wendy?"

A hushed sobbing could be heard coming from the hunched person. Dipper's heart sunk, knowing that it was a rarity to see his sweetheart in such a state.

 _"Oh, man…"_

He reached out for her shoulder, "Hey, it's okay…"

He wheezed aloud as the body moved just before his hand could meet its target. The soft, almost-feminine voice that called Dipper on the phone addressed him once more…

"So, you did come…"

The green-flannel figure started to turn in Dipper's direction, "But then again, you'd do any for _her_ , wouldn't you? _Believe me, I know that feeling…_ "

The pint-sized detective took a step back, causing more ice to shatter underfoot, "You're not Wendy!"

Instead of his cherished partner in crime, Dipper was now face to face with another boy roughly around his age. Dressed in nearly the same lumberjack outfit that Wendy wore, he stared at Dipper with large, watery brown eyes as tears flowed down his freckled cheeks. He sniffled, as his reddened nub of a nose became moist and runny. The teen took the ear of _his own_ brown trapper cap and wiped away the slime, making Dipper cringe in disgust.

 _"No, I'm not…"_

Figuring what was about to come next, Dipper put up his fists.

"So, are you going to try to beat me up, too?"

The equally-sized adolescent reached into his corner pocket, as Dipper positioned himself in reflex. Instead of a weapon, the kid took out a black flip phone and threw it onto the ice. It slid across the way, bumping into Dipper's feet.

Dipper bent down and picked it up, never daring to take his eyes out this newest stranger. He opened it, and immediately noticed the picture saved as its background. It was a photo of Wendy and him in each other's arms as they threw up the horns with their hands, alongside the rest of her gang and Mabel during the Woodstick Festival.

"What - ?" Dipper's face fell, "This is – This is Wendy's phone! How did you – "

"She left it behind while fighting one of those other idiots back at her school…" he explained.

 _"Other idiots?_ You mean they have – "

"Of course not!" The boy shook his head, "You know her as well as I do. Wendy is not someone to go down without a fight…"

"You're right on that end…" Dipper closed the phone and stuck it into his back pocket for safe keeping. "But – I don't understand. Who are you, and what do you want with me?"

The youth seemed to cease in his weeping, rising up to one knee. _"My name is Danny Feldman, Dipper. And I'm not here to fight you. If anything, I wanted to warn you…"_

"How did you know my name?"

 _"We all know who you are – "_

"Who's _"we?"_ And what do you want to warn about me about?!"

"About all of this…" Danny waved his arm around his surrounding area, "About what a life following Wendy Corduroy around will get you…"

Dipper shot back, "You don't know what you're talking about – "

Angered, the wannabe-lumberjack lunged forward and pounded the ground with his fist. A hair-line crack grew from Danny's spot towards Dipper, ending right before where Dipper stood.

"The hell I don't!"

Dipper held out his hands, knowing what would happen if the split would increase. "T-Take an easy, alright?"

"You don't get it, do you?!" Danny shrunk back down in a calmed position, "I'm not like the others! They are blinded by their egos to see what's happening! But I know the truth – after this whole thing blows over, _nothing will really change_."

Dipper was left dumbfounded by the claims; his silence encouraging Danny to go on with his point.

"Like I said before, Dipper. You hurried here, to what you thought was Wendy's rescue, right? _But what then?_ "

"I don't get – What are you saying?"

"I mean, what happens _afterwards_? Would things get better between you two? Would she even be grateful for your help? I'd bet you wouldn't get as much as a thank you from her…"

Dipper came to her defense, "Wendy doesn't have to! That's what friends do!"

"But what kind of friend is Wendy?" Danny chuckled before letting out a half-sob, "Tell me – would Wendy do any of this for _you_?

"She – "

"Would Wendy travel across two states to see you?"

"She has – "

He pounded the frozen floor even harder, widening the fissure further, "I said _you!_ _Just you!"_

With the threat growing worse with every tantrum, Dipper tried to calm his newest adversary, "Just calm down and –"

"Would she rush blindly though an incoming blizzard to find you, while fending off random strangers from your past at every turn?"

"She definitely – "

"SLAM!"

The split became even larger.

"Look, man," Dipper tried to reason with him, "I don't know what you want me to say, but if you keep going like this, and – "

Danny threw his arms into the air. "I want you to get out from under her ass and see what's happening around you before it's too late!"

"I don't kiss her – "

"Think about it, Dipper. _Do you really think that a girl who has so many ex-boyfriends that resent her is a good person?"_

"Just because – " Dipper stopped as he understood the implication. "Wait, are you saying that you and her – "

Danny nodded, "For a few months. That is, until she left for one of those older pretty-boys. But I'll be honest with you: those weeks with her were probably the best in my whole life. And yet…" Dipper noticed that his eyes began to drip again, "To her, _it was nothing_ – a period in time she wishes she could forget…"

In spite of the situation, Dipper offered his condolences, "I'm sorry…"

"Are you?!" Danny gave him another daring look, "Do you know how it feels when your best friend – _your only friend_ – tosses you away like unwanted garbage? Where the two of you used to laugh and talk and share everything, and now, you don't get as much as a "Happy Birthday" on your status page?"

A quiver flew down Dipper's spine; not due of the increasing cold, but because Danny was describing one of his greatest nightmares made reality.

"I could understand, but – "

"But what?!" The ice seemed to shake harder with his bellows.

"But…aren't you my age?"

Danny took a deep breath, "I just turned thirteen. When Wendy and I dated, there was a three-year difference between us…"

For the first time in the conversation, Dipper was taken aback, "What?!"

"It's true. When we first got together, a lot of people thought we were crazy – considering that Wendy was super-tall even back then. But she would tell me otherwise; how awesome she thought I was, or how it was nice to have someone always on her side that didn't judge or look down on her. And to me, it was great to not have to experience things all alone, and to have someone watching out for me, especially when concerning bullies…"

"Yeah," Dipper said under his breath, "I've definitely been there…"

"Things were great…" Danny made air quotes with his index fingers, "…until all of the baggage came…"

"Baggage?"

"When the outside world began to interfere and judge us by our "differences." The staring, the laughing behind our backs, the mocking. Oh, sure, at first, Wendy would get mad and threaten and fight, but after a while, it started to get to her. If you didn't know, she isn't exactly the best when it comes to peer pressure.

Without saying a word, Dipper recalled one of the first adventures he experienced with his favorite redhead, before their bond had formed, where she had originally sided with her friends concerning provoking the ghostly inhabitants of the Dusk2Dawn convenience store.

"Yeah, but every kid's like that…"

"Maybe," Danny agreed. "But one thing leads to another and then another. For some reason, Wendy seems to think she has to prove herself to those rejects she surrounds herself with. And with the age thing affecting a lot of things…"

"Like what?" Dipper asked.

Danny lowered his head in sadness, "Going to certain concerts or movies, being able to rent "Teen-rated" video games, and so on, it went from Wendy saying she'd never leave me behind to "just this once, okay?" After that, it became more and more frequent with Wendy spending every possible minute with those losers, while my invitations just stopped coming period. And one day, she had forgotten about me…"

He raised his sights to meet Dipper eye-to-eye, "…and eventually, _the same thing will happen to you, too!"_

"NO!" Dipper swiped the thought away, "That won't happen! I don't care what you say! Wendy isn't like that!"

Danny scoffed at his claims, "Oh, really, Dipper? _There wasn't a time where Wendy left you behind?"_

The stunned defender lowered his gaze, the breath taken out of his lungs.

A new scene flashed before his eyes. Wendy flicked his former Pine-Tree Cap playfully before leaving him to work the ticket stand for the dance at the Mystery Shack.

 _"Thanks, man!"_

He shook his head clear. Danny could tell he was making an impact.

 _"I'm right, aren't I? I'll bet it even happened more than once, has it?"_

Whisked away for a second time, Dipper re-opened his eyes, only to see Wendy and Robbie V. racing around the Mystery Fair's grounds hand-in-hand.

"No…" Dipper took a few steps back, "That's not – it's not the same – "

"Don't feel bad, Dipper." Danny warned. " _It's not your fault – that's something I realized a long time ago. It's her. It's always been her. It could be the end of the world happening outside, and she'd still find a way to be selfish…"_

A third flashback struck Dipper. This time, he stood helplessly and outnumbered as Wendy followed her friends into a gigantic monster truck, as they drove deep into Mabeland, planning countless pranks and misdeeds along the way.

 _"Sorry, guys. I've always wanted to do that. I'll be back in just a few minutes…"_

Dipper blinked repeatedly to clear his sights. He wasn't sure what was causing this – was this person using a sort of magic, or was his mind simply playing tricks on him?

"What – What are you – "

"It's just the truth. Nothing more or else. And the sooner you see it, the better." Danny stood up. "It's better that you see this now – before you end up like me, left with nothing but a stupid trapper hat to "remember her by…"

Dipper placed a careful hand at the ridge of his own cap. The meaning left by the parting gift had lost some of its luster within mere seconds.

"Heck, man. I actually thought I was through with all of this, at least, until _they_ came…"

" _They_?"

"People who've been hurt by Wendy as well. Although I don't agree with their methods, I do have to say that their ends _will_ definitely justify the means…"

"Wait!" Dipper was brought out of his daze, "What do you mean?"

"That's what I meant before…" Danny held a hand against his chest, "I'm not going to try to fight you and drag you to this "get-together" of theirs. _You're not like them!_ If anything, I'm giving you a chance to get out of here, go back to wherever it is you came from, and forget about this whole thing…"

He went to turn away from Dipper, only to have the fellow teenager speak out, "So wait! Can you tell me where they are?"

"Huh?!"

"That's what you said, right?" Dipper went on, "Maybe we can stop them before they can – "

Danny spun around and stomped on the icy ground, sending another crack in between Dipper's legs, "Are you kidding me, dude?! Haven't you been paying attention?!"

"I have been, but that doesn't mean – "

The spurned ex-boyfriend started to walk heavily towards Dipper, creating a series of shattered ice beneath his boots. "What? That you won't go play "hero" for her? Why can't you understand, Dipper? One way or another, _there is no saving Wendy! She doesn't want to be "saved" because she doesn't think that there's a problem!_ "

"I don't – "

 _"She needs this!"_ Danny was now inches from him. _"She needs to get exactly what she deserves! And they won't stop until they make it happen!"_

"Then, help me!" Dipper offered. "You're not like those other guys, either. We can work together to stop them from hurting her – "

Danny's face twisted as he pushed Dipper with both arms, caught him off-guard. Dipper slid across the ice and crashed against the edge of the pool. Wendy's fluffy cap flew from the top of his head and onto the opposite side of the frozen water.

"And to think…" the fellow thirteen-year-old said as he came nearer, "…that I felt sorry for you…"

Dipper tried to make it back to his feet, only to fall back on his bottom. He held up his hands in defense, "You don't have to do this!"

"You're a hopeless fool, just like Wendy. _In some cosmic sense, maybe you two deserve each other…"_

Danny came to a stop and held his ground

 _"…but mark my words. One day, when she tires of you, Wendy will abandon and forget all about you, just like she did with the rest of us. It's a harsh lesson, but hey, I guess that's the only way you'll learn…"_

He lifted his heel and paused for a second, before sending in deep into the now-fragile ice. Several splinters shot out through the pool as countless chunks of ice shifted from under Dipper's weight.

"At least you can't say I didn't warn you…"

Dipper's eyes moved back and forth between Danny and the ever-increasing breaks. They launched off in two different directions. One headed towards his left where his backpack laid, which contained not just his supplies and tools, but the gift for Wendy that he had slaved over…

And the other darted towards the right, where his treasured trapper hat from Wendy sat helplessly.

Dipper looked ahead to see that Danny had vanished without a trace. Wondering if the foolhardy boy had brought upon his own doom, he searched around to see if there if Danny had managed to fall between the ice. There weren't any visible breaks around to suggest so.

As his own support started to part, Dipper leapt back onto the solid cement foundation next to the pool. He repeatedly glanced left and right as both of his items juggled on the unsteady ice. The tiny rescuer knew that he'd probably have enough time to save one before the frigid waters would overtake everything on the ice's surface.

 _"But which one?!"_

Without thinking, Dipper let his instincts take over. He bolted to his left, and swooped downwards, snagging the straps of his knapsack just before it touched the cold liquid. With a rare feat of strength, Dipper hurled the carry-on back to safety, pushed himself up with his hand, and raced towards the right end of the pool.

 _"Where is it? Where is it?!"_ His eyes darted around in search of any sign of his brown memento. After a moment of searching, he finally found it; the callous reality brought Dipper down to his knees.

 _"No…I'm too late…"_

Dipper could do nothing but watch as Wendy's hat floated endlessly beneath the rigid lumps of hardened ice. He planned a mournful hand against the see-through barrier as the gift was carried down to the pool's bottom by the swift current, well far from his sights.

Defeated, he sat back on the poolside walkway as thought about everything that had just happened. This last enemy had successfully attacked him; not by physical attempts as did the last two exes, but through his mind and heart. No matter how much he tried, Dipper found himself unable to suppress all of the anxious thoughts rising up through his consciousness.

This boy was different from the others he had met. Russ and Eli seemed petty and ignorant at first glance. It wasn't that much of a stretch to see why Wendy would want to distance herself from such people.

But it was obvious to see that whatever happened with Danny had undoubtedly shattered his psyche, leaving him a sniveling, broken shell of his former self.

 _"If everything was reversed_ ," Dipper asked himself, _"Is that how I'd end up, too?"_

Within the last year, he had managed to form a fine line in his mind when concerning his feelings towards his gingered crush; a golden rule that she had set down to clarify her thoughts and bring his uncertainties to a stop:

 _"I'm too old for you. I mean, you know that, right?"_

But now, with the introduction of Danny, a new series of doubts flowed in his mind – a sort of never-ending styling of which-came-first-chicken-or-egg questions that made him doubt the foundation of the relationship he shared with Wendy.

 _"I – I don't get it. Wendy said that she was too old for me, but she didn't have a problem dating Danny, and he has the same age difference. Did she change her mind because of him, or – "_

He gulped as another theory came to light, _"Or because it's me. What if it's always been me?"_ Dipper remembered how good it felt to be talking with Wendy more frequently as of late – except for the fact it wasn't Wendy in the first place.

But why hadn't the _real_ Wendy contacted him, especially if something was wrong? Maybe if they would have spoke on a regular basis, instead at total random, both sides would have realized things weren't right. _Even their unseen enemy seemed to know this, and went as far to take advantage of such knowledge to lure them into a trap._

Danny's words came back to haunt Dipper, plaguing on his freshly-laid insecurities.

 _"What if I'm just some type of charity-case to her?_ " Dipper questioned. " _Maybe that's why Wendy did things differently with me. Maybe she wanted to avoid having another little crybaby following her around like crazy…?"_

He reflected on everything they had been through since they met, and how such things meant to the world to him. However, it had to work both ways for it to be real – as friends, as partners in crime, as whatever the future might bring, _as anything_ – Wendy's thoughts and feelings had to be the same.

 _"But what if Danny was right? What if they all were right?"_ Dipper rubbed his face with his hands as the possibility was made crystal clear, _"What if I don't really mean anything to Wendy?"_

With another groan, Dipper made it back to a standing position. One thing was for sure – whatever the truth really was, he wasn't going to find it standing around here.

He reclaimed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. Dipper took one last look down towards the spot where Wendy's gift had disappeared into the depths, its ultimate memory left soiled by this latest encounter.

Dipper paced towards the left-opened locker room door. He had run out of clues. There weren't any indications of where to turn next.

*AHH! AH-CHOO!*

The unforgiving wind attacked his now-bare head. Dipper shivered uncontrollably as the cold seemed to dig deeper into his insides. He knew that wandering around aimlessly would be pointless, and if he were to become ill, he would be of no help to anyone. The only clear option was to regroup.

*AHH! AH-CHOO!*

With nowhere else to turn, Dipper ran back into the woods and headed towards his last source of sanctuary in Gravity Falls.

" _Maybe_ \- AH-CHOO!* _Maybe a little warmth can help me think straight and figure out where to go next…"_


	4. Chapter 4

"Soos, I don't think this is a good idea…"

Melody worried over her dubious boyfriend as he tried to carefully line up a power drill's bit with the corner of the tight shackle enclosed around his wrist. To her, the pointy blade was way too close for comfort to his soft flesh.

"Nothing…to worry about, sweetie." The stout gentleman tried to reassure her as he closed his eye and moved his face closer for a better look. "I'm sure that this'll do the trick this time…"

She pointed in the opposite end of the counter, "That's what you said with all of those..." In the corner of the desk, the new Mr. Mystery had acclimate a pile of half-broken tools in his attempts for freedom, including broken screwdrivers, dented hammers, and saws with their metal teeth busted.

"You don't think I can do it?" The man-child's voice had a hint of hurt lingering within.

"It's not that, honey. Honest!" Melody placed her free hand on his shoulder. "I just don't want you to lose an arm doing so!"

Instead of listening to reason, Soos merely stared into the distance, narrowing his eyes like an action-movie star. "That's a risk I'm more than willing to take…"

Melody covered her eyes, "I can't look." She stepped away from the gruesome scene as much as her handcuff's chain would allow.

"Okay…steady. On 3…2…1…"

"Ohh…"

*RING!- RING!*

The interruption made both adults unconsciously glimpsed at the Gift Shop's door as it slowly opened. With his eyes off the task at hand, the speeding drill barely passed by Soos's hand, boring a dime-sized hole deep into the Mystery Shack's checkout stand.

"Oops!" Soos chuckled as he noticed Melody was giving him a stare. He merely shrugged, "What?"

The door closed as a snow-covered bundle toddled into the building. As the bound-together couple looked on, it shook itself clean with a "BRRRGGH!" A moment later, a shaking, frost-bitten Dipper Pines was standing before them. Melted snow dripped from his coat. His ears and nose were a red-engine red. A thin, icy layer formed on the tips of his eyelashes.

"Dipper!" Melody exclaimed.

"Hey!" Soos chuckled. "There you are! How about all that snow, right? Betcha don't see that back home…"

Instead of answering their questions, Dipper took a few steps forward and rested his heavy, exhausted head against the chipped paneling of the counter. He mumbled under his breath, making his friends strain to hear his meager request:

"….Cocoa…please…"

* * *

Dipper took another sip of hot chocolate as he pulled the blanket Melody gave him tighter around himself. The shivers had finally settled as the fuzzy feeling faded away from his body.

Melody leaned over on the desk, "Are you feeling any better?"

He nodded, and wiped the milk mustache from his face before setting his glass on the stand. "Yeah, thank you so much."

"It's no problem, Dip…"

Soos threw his arms upwards, dragging Melody along with him, "Dude, I still can't believe you're here!"

Dipper turned away from a second, as Danny's warning still troubled his mind, "Me, either…" He glanced up to see Soos and Melody's compromising position. He bobbed his head in their direction, "So, what's the deal with those things?"

"This?" Melody confirmed by holding up her wrist.

"Yep," Soos laughed the matter off, "We're being trying like crazy to get these cuffs off…"

"Hmm…" Dipper scooted himself closer, "Maybe I can..." Like clockwork, he plucked a bobby-pin from Melody's hair, swiftly made an adjustment or two, and went to work. The pair watched in confusion as the brown-crown head before them hovered over their wrists, unaware of what was occurring now.

*CLICK!*

*CLICK!*

Dipper pulled away, leaving the set of handcuffs opened on the counter top. Smiles spread across the freed co-managers' faces as they examined their sore wrists.

"Thanks, buddy! We were getting tired of all the '80s sitcom-like antics happening with those…"

Melody was amazed by such a feat, "That was incredible! How did you know how to do that?"

Instead of accepting their praise, Dipper lowered his head, _"Wendy taught me…"_

"Wait?!" Melody's tone changed. "You mean that she could have done that for us at any time?"

Soos seemed impartial to the new fact, "Eh. I kinda wished she'd thought of that before taking off…"

Dipper hopped to his feet, "She was here? _Wendy was here?!"_

"Yeah, buddy, about an hour ago. A whole bunch of crazy stuff went down that you wouldn't believe!"

Melody asked him, "How else did you think Soos and I ended up cuffed together?"

Dipper shifted his shoulders, "I dunno. I figured it was because of some wacky hijinx or something…"

"Good point," Soos rubbed the peach fuzz under his chin, "But not today…"

The boy facepalmed, only to regain his composure and take his seat. "Maybe it would be best to start from the beginning…"

Soos used his hands to help him tell his story, "Okay, so get this: Melody and I are setting up for Fallers' Day – "

"Time out!" Dipper signaled. "So, there is really a "Fallers' Day?" It isn't made up, or a scam, or anything like that?"

"Nope, it's as real as you or me!" Soos playfully slapped his question-marked covered belly to prove his existence. "We were about set when Wendy burst in through the Gift Shop."

"Was she alright?"

"She was okay," Melody tried to settle his worry, "But it looked like she had just run a marathon."

"Wendy said that some crazy guy at her school attacked her." The handyman-turned-proprietor went on. "Said that it was an old boyfriend of hers…"

The mere mention made Dipper walk off and pace in small distances around the room. _"Another guy?! That's four by my count…"_

Melody raised an eyebrow at such behavior, "Is something the matter?"

"Huh?" Dipper stopped. "Sorry, I kinda do that when I'm nervous. You guys were saying?"

"So, we told Wendy that she could hang out here when BOOM!" Soos crashed his fist into an open palm. "A guy dressed like some Australian hunter – I mean, like total 1980s and everything – beats down the door coming from the front room!"

"One of those guys was here?!"

"You got it," Soos adjusted his hat. "And to be honest, for a bad guy, he had a killer-kick-ass entrance! And I was kinda disappointed that he didn't begin or end his sentences with the word, "Crikey!" like I figure all Australian folk do…"

"SOOS!"

He turned towards his main squeeze, "Oh, come on!" He waved a beefy arm towards Dipper. "It's not like he's never heard a swear before! He hangs around with Wendy after all. Heck, spending the summer with Stan probably taught him a whole new vocabulary!"

"True on both counts," Dipper agreed. "But I think Melody's saying to stick to the story since we're short on time…"

The kid-like mound needed to see his folded-armed girlfriend glaring at him to get back on track, "I getcha now. So, Melody and I tried to defend Wendy when…"

Melody held up the handcuffs by their chain with her index finger, "These happened…" She dropped them into the small trash pail rested next to the station.

"By the time we got things together, this guy – Wendy said his name was Stoney, I think – had sealed the doors shut. We couldn't get in!"

"Well, what happened?!" Dipper was in suspense of his crush's fate. He clutched at Soos's oversized T-Shirt. "Was Wendy able to escape? Did he get her?!" His grip tightened. "Soos! Tell me what happened!"

Soos looked down at the pleading boy, turning towards Melody, who also waited for a response, resting her elbows on the check-out. "You go-ahead with this part," she responded with a wave. "I wanna hear you tell this…"

"Okay, then…" he stroked the back of his head. "I guess Wendy broke away from this Stoney guy and made her way into the exhibition hall where I think one of the displays I rebuilt kinda freaked her out…"

"Freaked her out?" Dipper wondered. "Which one was it? You didn't fix the wax museum, right?"

"No, not that one…" Soos hinted. _"You'll know which one if you think about it…"_

Dipper gave his friend a confused gaze.

"You know…" _Soos opened his palm and wiggled his index fingers in a continuous motion._

The small detective gasped and covered his mouth with both hands. "Oh no! Soos, how could -

"Told ya…" Melody teased in a sing-song tone.

"What, is this "Pick-On-Soos" day? I'm a "Mr. Mystery _in-training_ , dudes! I'm still trying to get a feel here."

Oh! Wendy must have gone ballistic when she spotted those things!"

"You…could say that…"

"Judging by the mess that punk left on the floor," Melody noted. "I'd say she broke his nose…"

Dipper gulped, _recalling their own misadventures with that particular setup_. _"Glad that wasn't me…"_

"So, if Wendy won the fight, where is she?"

Soos and Melody shared a quick peek between themselves.

"She said that there were other people after her – that they were holed up in some old lumbermill at the edge of town.

Soos dipped his head, "Wendy asked us to stay put in case you were to show up…" His expression grew even more joyous, "And here you are, like she said!" He gently slapped Dipper's front, "Boy, can she read you like a book!"

"Yep," Dipper backed into his chair. _"She knows me, but I don't really know anything about her, do I?"_ While he was relieved that Wendy was safe, the tiny sleuth was still disturbed by the truth eluding him.

 _"I'm still no closer to finding what this is all about…"_

And he knew the only way to get the answers he seeked was to find Wendy herself.

Dipper pushed away from the counter with a sigh, knowing that he was around to face the elements once more.

"And just where do you think you're off too?"

"Going…after Wendy?" Dipper replied with a bewildered manner.

Melody pointed at his thinly-lied outfit, "Not like that you're not!" She stepped away from the register and headed towards the swinging door to the living room. "I think I've seen some things in Stan's old storage that might fit you." She disappeared behind it, "I'll just be a few minutes…"

Dipper sunk back into his seat with another heave. Soos whistled to himself, cleaning up the remainder of the mess as they awaited Melody's return.

The nervous child racked his fingertips on the ruined wood surface as he struggled with his dilemma. His sights set to his much-older friend on the other side of the counter. Perhaps he could give some much-needed insight on the situation.

"Umm…Soos?"

"'Sup?"

Dipper lowered his voice even further, "Can – Can I ask you a really stupid question?"

Soos laughed aloud, "You? Ask a stupid question? Dude, you're like the smartest person I know – maybe except for Ford, but that shouldn't count – either way, ask away…" He began to slurp his cup of cocoa noisily.

"Okay…then," Dipper looked away for a moment, as guilt overtook him. "You've…known Wendy for like, a really long time; probably more than anyone else here, right?"

"Oh, yeah." He answered. "Besides for Mr. Pines – I mean, Stan. I've known her since she was a little – " The gentle giant paused, holding a finger against his flabby chin, "Then again, she's always been super tall, so…"

"Anyways," Dipper continued, slowly coming back around, "The point I'm getting at is, Soos… _do you think that Wendy is a bad person?_ "

*KRAK!*

The mug slipped from Soos's fingertips and shattered on the desk, sending cocoa and glass shards everywhere. With an alarmed appearance, he promptly began to clean the mess.

"What – " He forced an uneasy chuckle, "What would make you even think – "

Dipper grabbed at the sides of his head and let all of the pressure out, "I know! I know! I'm terrible for asking such a thing, but it's been driving me crazy! I still think Wendy's awesome and to me, she's the best, but those guys after her, Soos – the things that they have been saying about her…"

"But, aren't they the bad guys?"

"The first two I bumped into were total jerks and super-conceited; I mean, we're talking beyond "Robbie-level" here. The last one I met though…" Dipper met his pal at eye-level, " _Soos, he was my age_ …"

"Ohhh…" Soos started to see the dilemma his pint-sized companion was faced with.

"He was a total wreck, Soos! I actually felt bad for him. He made it sound like Wendy ruined his life. And the more he told me, the more I started to see parallels between him and me…"

Dipper hopped off the seat and went back to pacing, "Mabel and everyone else says that I put Wendy up on a pedestal, but that's not true. She's not perfect, and Wendy does get into trouble, but that's one of the things I love – "

He paused, catching himself in his words. Dipper noticed that Soos was lost in his dialogue, giving off a starry-eyed look as Dipper spoke about his affection for his sweetheart.

"I mean," the boy corrected himself as his natural shyness kicked in, "I _like_ about her. I overlook Wendy's mistakes the same way I'd hope she'd forgive mine." He whirled his noodle arms in a circle in front of his chest, "And it works, you know; _it's our thing_ …"

He stepped up to the counter and rested his weary form, "But with everything that's happened today – all of these…"evil-exes" coming out of the woodwork to settle some kind of old score. Is this like the cosmos saying that Wendy is finally getting what she deserves for hurting all of these guys? And if I try to help her out, am I only delaying the inevitable?"

"Wow…" Soos was at a loss for words. "I can't – I mean, maybe you should…" He sat down on his stool. "That's a lot to process, little guy. Give me a second to figure it out…"

"Egh!" Dipper set his head down on his crossed arms, "I don't know what to think anymore!"

"Maybe that's the problem…"

Both Dipper and Soos turned their heads to see Melody in the doorway with her hands full of winter gear and supplies. " _Maybe instead of listening to what other people think or say, you should look inside yourself for the truth…_ "

"Inside of me?"

She set the clothing down on the counter, took a knee, and placed a caring hand on Dipper's shoulder. "I know we haven't spend a lot of time together, or don't really have the chance to talk, but I think I can help in this case."

"How?"

"By sorting this thing out." Melody bit her cheeks as she thought of the right words. "I heard a lot about the crazy things that you and Wendy did together last summer, and I think it's great. _And cute even…"_

Dipper blushed, before looking at Soos, "Heard about? Soos, what have you told her about us?"

"Nothing too embarrassing…" He rolled his eyes as he poked his index fingers together. "You can't really blame me, dude. Haven't you ever heard that the key to a healthy relationship is conversation?"

"Between you two!" Dipper chastised. "Not by gossiping about other people!"

"Yeesh!" The grown man flinched. "My bad! My bad!"

Melody went on, "What I'm trying to say is that what you guys share is special, and more importantly, what each of you need at this point in your lives, and perhaps these people are jealous of that.

"So, you think Wendy's innocent? These exes of hers are lying to mess with my head?"

"Not necessarily." Melody's brow lowered. "There is a good chance that Wendy _has_ done everything these people accuse her of. But at the same time, the Wendy you know _isn't_ that same person. Does that make sense?"

Dipper shook his head back and forth.

"Okay, let me try to explain differently…" Melody glanced around the room for a way to make him understand. Her sights stopped at her hefty boyfriend. "Yeah, that's it!"

Melody went back to Dipper, "You know Soos and I love each other, right?"

Dipper nodded.

"Well, the truth of the matter is that if we had met when we were yours and Wendy's age, chances are that we wouldn't be together – "

An almost feminine-shriek-gasp filled the Gift Shop. Dipper and Melody looked to their left to see Soos recoiling in horror, his fists bunched against his mouth. His dark eyes began to water at the harsh thought.

" _In theory, Soos…_ " Melody narrowed her eyes, "I'm talking in theory…"

His emotions instantly changed, "Well, if it's in theory, I guess it's okay…"

"Appreciate that…" She faced Dipper once more. "Back then, I was a totally different person. The only things I cared about was looking cool and dating the hottest boys in school. But as I grew older – and more mature – " Melody gazed at Soos and opened her arm in his direction, "I realized that there are more important things to reconsider. After all, it's not every day that you can find a kind-hearted guy that'll make you laugh, defend you from killer animatronic displays, and maintain a long-distance relationship without complaint."

Soos prided himself over his achievements, "Darn tootin'!"

"So…" Dipper's brown eyes followed Melody as she stood up, "You're saying that when we get older, there's a chance that Wendy and I – "

"Perhaps. But that's not what matters right now." Melody said. "You have a choice, Dipper. Instead of looking back at the past, or even towards the future, _you need to decide who you believe Wendy to be in your mind's eye, and if that person's worth fighting for…"_

" _Who I believe Wendy is?_ " Dipper's thoughts went off in a billion directions _. "It'd probably be easier to say everything that she isn't! Wendy's smart, funny, brave; not to mention strong and super-athletic. She always wants to go on adventures and show me cool tricks and pranks and different ways to get into trouble. Who wouldn't want to be around her?"_

*CRASH!*

Dipper opened his eyes to see what caused the racket. _At his feet, he could make out the destroyed remnants of a snow globe._ He analyzed the mess of warm water, fake plastic snow, and jagged glass, making sure not to cut himself.

 _"I remember this…"_ It was then when Dipper realized that he had been whisked away in another flashback. Despite knowing what came next - the unusual, yet unforgettable noise that echoed throughout the now-empty Mystery Shack.

*SOB!*

 _Dipper went towards the muffled cries, his nerves on edge as he recalled the loudest "F-Bomb" he had ever heard and the argument that led up to it. The concerned teen nudged the Gift Shop's hinged door with his shoulder, and traced the sound around the corner, finding himself before the bathroom._

 _As if his body already knew what to do, his trembling fist softly tapped the uneven wood finish, "We-"_

 _"AHH!"_

 _For the second time, Dipper went into a series of mumbled apologizes, making him question his over-protectiveness. Just as he was about to leave in embarrassment, the door cracked open, revealing a sliver of light in the darkened hallway._

 _From it, his missing lumberjack princess peeked out her head; her emerald-green eyes were stained red with tears. She sniffled, "…W-What'd you say?"_

 _Dipper coughed, "I mean…hey…are you okay?"_

With a flash before his eyes, Dipper blinked, finding that he was back before Melody. She offered a warming smile, "Did you find your answer?"

He bopped his head, "I did. I – I almost made a really, really big mistake, didn't I?"

Melody waved away his concern, "Don't worry about it, Dipper. Trust me, it's all a part of growing up…"

Dipper let out some uneasy laughs, "Yeah, I hope so…"

"Besides, I knew that you'd make the right decision…"

"How so?"

Melody placed her hands on her knees and bend down further, " _Because Wendy definitely thinks you're more than worth fighting for…_ "

Soos put his two cents in, "Yeah, dude. When that Stoney guy said that their group had you - Man, you should have seen her. Wendy took off like a bat outta hel–" He cleared his throat, correcting himself. "I mean, " _outta heck_!"

Much to their surprise, Dipper was not as much touched by Wendy's sentiment as he was alarmed. He jumped in shock, "WHAT?!"

The small ball of anxiety started to race around the room in a panic. "How could this - ?! I mean, what am I going to - ?! Oh! I have to hurry!"

Dipper dashed past Melody, snatched the new clothing off of the counter, and ran into the living room. "Don't come in! Don't come in! I'm getting changed!"

Abiding by his wishes, the two grown-ups continued the conversation from the other room.

"Dipper," Melody asked. "I don't understand."

"If anything," Soos added. "I thought it was kinda of a given why Wendy left..."

"Not…Ugh…exactly!" Dipper shouted as he struggled with the slightly-baggy attire. "It's one thing if Wendy is hunting them down. _You guys know how she is with revenge…_ "

They agreed without a doubt, "Sure…"

*BANG!*

The sound of clattering furniture gave reason for worry. "I'm fine! I'm fine! It was just me bumping into the table! _If Wendy thinks that they are holding me hostage, she's at a total disadvantage! They can lie to her; trick her, and even threaten her! She'll already be distracted, and this will make everything even worse!"_

"Wow…" Soos was amazed by his pal's theory, "Never thought of it like that…"

*RING – RING!* *RING – RING!*

The caretaker picked up the phone sitting on the desk. "Mystery Shack?" His face lightened. "Oh, hey there, Hambone! How are you doing? Uh-huh. He's here. Just a sec – "

Dipper stormed through the living room door, now sporting a blue parka, navy snow pants, and a pair of brown boots. "That's why I have to find Wendy as soon as possible. Once she knows I'm okay, we can figure out what to do next…"

Soos held his hand over the receiver, "Dipper, it's Mabel. She says she has to talk to you. It's important..."

The little mystery-solver grabbed his backpack from the floor. "Tell her I can't talk now. I'll call her later."

His twin must have heard his voice over the call, as she went on with the conversation, "Uh-huh. You got it…"

As asked, Soos hit the speakerphone button, and within a split-second, her shrill tone was booming throughout the Gift Shop.

"Dipper! You have to listen! It's about Wendy and -"

"Is that your brother?" Someone shouted from the background.

*SCRREH-SCREEH!* Wait a sec - !"

A new voice was now addressing him, _"Dip-per!"_

He immediately froze in mid-step. Its familiarity even put Soos and Melody on nerve, as they went as far as to cover their mouths to avoid having their presences known.

"Did you forget to do something, young man?"

Dipper spun around on his heels, presenting a sheepish look despite his addressor behind several states away.

"Oh…hey-y, Mom…"

"Don't "hey" me," his parent reprimanded, "We had a deal, Dipper. You get to go off on your little adventure in Gravity Falls as long as checked in with me every few hours at set times. You are now… _two hours late_."

Dipper pulled back his coat sleeve and looked at his wrist watch. "Wow! I'm – I'm sorry, Mom – "

"I bet you are – "

"I really mean it. I – _We_ didn't even realize what time it was. I guess we just got a bit carried away – "

"And speaking of," Mrs. Pines asked. "I heard Mabel ask about Wendy. Is she there with you now?"

"Actually – " Dipper stuttered as he attempted to dance around the question.

"Actually what, Dipper?"

He was in a bind. Dipper knew he had no chance of producing his favorite redhead in a moment's notice. And once his mother found out the awful truth, he would be ordered home instantly, caring less of what eerie happenings were occurring in the mountain town.

"Wendy…is…"

"SLAM!"

"Right here!"

As Dipper stared on in disbelief, Melody had thrown the parlor's door against the wall, and now by the phone with her hand over her mouth, raising the pitch of her voice slightly.

"Sorry about that, Mrs. Pines," the young woman apologized in her best Wendy-esque tone. "I had to make a run to the restroom. How are you and Mr. Pines doing?"

"Oh – "The elder seemed caught-off-guard by the sudden politeness. "We – We're alright, Wendy-dear. Dipper and I were just having a conversation about him keeping his word about checking in – "

"I'm so sorry! That's my bad!" Melody went on. "Dip and I went a little overboard in a snowball fight, and well, let's say his cell was a casualty. We have it in a bag of dry rice as we speak."

"So, his phone is – "

"Not to worry! It's my fault! It's my responsibility! If I can't get it working, I swear I'll pay for a new one for him out of pocket. I swear it!"

"Well…"

"And I'll personally make sure that our little dork makes his next check-in call on time. Early even! How about we'll call you together before the meteor shower airs?"

"Hmm…"

All three Mystery Shack employees stood on edge as Mrs. Pines made her assessment.

"All right, then…"

Dipper, Melody, and Soos all let out a sigh of relief.

"But remember, Wendy," Mrs. Pines made clear, "If you two forget again, you will share the blame as well. I take it you understand?"

"Crystal clear, Mrs. P." Melody pledged. "And thanks again for letting the little guy come up here. It was totally gnarly of you to do so!"

Both Dipper and Soos gaped at Melody, who replied with a simple shrug of her shoulders.

"Um…thank you, Wendy. Stay out of trouble, and I'll talk to you later tonight. And Wendy? I wanted to tell you – " She paused, "What's that? Hang on. Mabel's insisting on talking to you, Dipper. Here, go ahead…"

"Talk to you soon, Mrs. Pines!"

"Bye, Mom!"

*SCRREH-SCREEH!* *SCRREH-SCREEH!*

The pitter-patter of little feet could be heard in the backdrop.

"Okay, I'm in another room." Mabel spoke up. "AND WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"I know, right?!" Dipper declared, giving Melody an appreciate look. "I watched it happen with my own eyes and I still don't believe it!" He rushed up and hugged her tightly, "Thank you so much!"

Soos folded his arms, "About time the rest of the world sees you the same way I do – _totally awesome!"_

She blushed at all of the praise. "It was no biggie, really…"

"Are you kidding?"

"You really saved our heinies, Melody…" Mabel said. "And speaking of, I did a bit of sleuthing of my own…"

*WRRRLL*

"There!" Mabel noted. "Those names you said reminded me of something Wendy told me once. And as it happens, I found it while looking in the ol' scrapbook!" She cleared her throat, "Tell me if any of these sound familiar: _Russ Durham_ –

Dipper snapped his fingers, "That's the guy that attacked me at the bus stop!

" _Eli Hall, Stoney Davidson_ –"

"The guy that Wendy stopped here…" Soos remembered.

 _"Psyche Wirley_ –"

"From the Arcade…"

 _"Nate Holt – "_

"Wait," Melody asked. "Is that the same "Nate" from Wendy's group?"

 _"Danny Feldman – "_

"We met at the pool…"

Mark Epston, and "that guy with the tattoos…"

"Guy with the – " Dipper trailed off. "What – He doesn't have a name or something?"

"I dunno…" Mabel admitted. "At first, I thought Wendy actually forgot his name, but thinking about it now, maybe _she didn't want to remember him_ …"

Dipper held a closed fist against his mouth as he thought. "He's the one behind all of this…"

"What?!"

He turned towards Soos and Melody, "The other guys kept saying that they had to take Wendy and I before "their boss." I'll bet that this is the guy." Dipper took another few steps forwards, "They're all her ex-boyfriends. Right, Mabel?"

"Yep! You called it bro-bro! Wendy said it herself when we had "girl-talked…""

"And you wrote down their names why?"

"Hey! It was pretty good advice! I happen to take excellent notes!"

Soos plopped down on his stool in disbelief, _"Just whoa. A gang of evil ex-boyfriends take their revenge on an unsuspecting girl while the only one that might be able to save her is a boy madly in love with her. Sounds like something crazy outta of a graphic novel or something…"_

His girlfriend shook her head, _"Nah, it's more like a plot of a weird, cult-classic movie…"_

Dipper chipped in, _"Or an old-timey video game…"_

Mabel bought up a question, "Getting back to point, what is it they want from you and Wendy?"

"I'm not sure." Dipper theorized. "From the ones I met, they all seemed steamed with her about their individual pasts. But the thing I don't understand is how I tie into all of this…"

"But didn't you say so before?" Soos wondered. "That they were going to use you as bait to lure Wendy into a trap?"

"Maybe, but it just seems like overkill to me. There's eight guys. Even if they were to rush Wendy at once, they could have stood a chance against her. No, there's something I'm missing here. I mean, even Robbie wouldn't have tried – "

Dipper stopped as a light bulb went on in his head, "Hold on! Soos, you said that Wendy was heading towards some old lumbermill at the end of town, right?"

"That's right…"

"And if I were Wendy, what would be the fastest way to get there from here?"

"Well," he pondered the question for a minute. "You'd cut through the woods, and head across the cemetery – "

"You mean the one by Robbie's house – the funeral home?"

"The one and the same…"

"Oh no!" Dipper threw his knapsack over his shoulder and ran for the Gift Shop Exit. "I have – I have to hurry!"

"Dipper?!" Mabel called out. "What's wrong? Is something happening?"

"Yeah," Soos added. "Did we miss something?"

"We did! We did!" Dipper opened the door. "We forgot an ex-boyfriend! "

"But isn't Robbie with Tambry now?"

"Heh-heh!" Soos chortled. "Now, there's something I didn't see coming. I always thought you and him were eventually going to duke it out over Wendy. Things ending peacefully with Mabel hooking him up? Never ever could have guessed that!"

"Like I said," the pixie prided, "I do good work!"

Dipper groaned aloud, "I'll be back as soon as I can with Wendy!"

*SLAM!*

"Is he gone?"

"Yep, hambone…" Soos responded. "And I hope they make it back soon…"

"Because they'll miss the meteor show?" Melody asked.

"Nope," he answered. "Because while you might be able to do a great "Wendy," I have no chance of faking a "Dipper" if Mrs. Pines calls back…"

* * *

As instructed, Dipper traveled the off-beat path through the Gravity Falls Woods until he reached the edge of the graveyard. Dusk had already begun to set in, and Wendy hadn't left any sign of a trail to follow.

Being prepared, Dipper reached into his knapsack and pulled out a handheld flashlight to illuminate his way. Goosebumps traveled down his skin as he continued his journey blindly. This was the first time he had ever set foot in the cemetery by himself – or in the dark. Unlike the rest of the world that could easily brush away superstition, Dipper knew firsthand of the dangers of those that went bump in the night; such knowledge served to be a drawback in this case.

With a rush of adrenaline, Dipper brushed away the willies. He recalled Soos and Melody's story, of how Wendy went into battle head-first for his sake, regardless of what dangers awaited her. Guilt and a rising source of courage kept him going on his quest, as Dipper desperately examined the ground for any possible clue.

"This is impossible!" he lamented. "I can barely see out here! How in the heck am I – WHOA!"

As Dipper went to take a step forward, his booted foot found nothing but air. He circled his arms out at his side to regain balance, until he finally fell backwards into the ground. Dipper stood back up and used his light to discover that he nearly walked right into an open grave.

"Jeez!" The adventurer brushed himself off. "If I'd fallen into there, I'd be stuck until morning, or until someone would have found me…" Dipper trailed off as he made out his first piece of evidence. "Huh? Look at that…"

Around the grave site, he could see a series of various footprints embedded into the freshly-dug dirt. On one side, tracks were smeared in every possible direction, leading into a clear path with dozens of different sizes towards the graveyard's exit.

"Now we're getting somewhere…"

Dipper followed the trace until the cemetery's end. From the hill before him, he could make out the dissonantly orange torchlight shining from the Valentino's Funeral Home. Dipper shuddered, "I don't care if Mabel thinks they're the nicest people in the world; I still think they're a nightmare waiting to happen!"

All of a sudden, Dipper felt something soft brush up against his foot. He instantly lowered his flashlight to the source, only to have his heart fall at the sight.

"Oh…Oh, man…"

He bent down to pick up a worn-out blue and white pine tree trucker hat – the same type that the Mystery Shack sold on a regular basis – the same type that he sported throughout the previous summer – the same type that Wendy had taken from him as a farewell gift.

Dipper started to examination the cap from every angle, hoping to find something that would depel his worst fears. Sure enough, this particular headwear had the scorch marks caused during his time-travel escapades. The crease in the center was permanently bent in the way that he usually wore his hats.

Even more damning, Dipper flipped it over to see the insides. Even with the limited light given, he was able to make out a single, yet incredibly length strand of copper-colored hair. The scent of a sweeten perfume entered Dipper's nostrils, triggering a sort of lost nostalgia within.

With all of these findings put together, he found himself staring at one ultimate conclusion:

 _"They have her…"_

Dipper sunk to his knees in despair as he gazed into the distance in disbelief. "I'm too late…If only – If only I didn't – I let my stupid insecurities and doubts take over and – "

"No!" He forced away the hopelessness. "I have to keep going. There's a chance I can reach them before – "

The boy paused as a shape flew across the scattered tombstones. His heart skipped a few beats. His breathe came to a pause. Without as much as blinking, Dipper stood back up and slid his old cap into his coat.

In spite of Bill Cipher's defeat at the end of last summer, he knew that there were still tons of undiscovered menaces lurking in the secluded town. Was the shadow some type of new monster to be found, or had another of the Wendy-obsessed attackers managed to find him?

Either way, Dipper knew standing alone in the middle of an open field wasn't the best defense. Taking the path to the rendezvous would be too perilous. He peeked over his shoulder at Robbie's house. He wouldn't dare risking seeking refuge inside, in fears that he would never be allowed to leave again.

Dipper turned to his right, seeing one last possibility. With a whine of hesitation, he ducked his head and made a dash back towards the Gravity Falls Woods. Out of the corner of his eye, Dipper seen that the black silhouette took off after him, making the startled teen pick up his pace. A mixture of chanting and light laughter insured him that he was being chased.

 _"Ch-Ch-Ch-Ha-Ha-Ha…"_

 _"This is like something out of a messed-up horror movie!"_

Luckily, not every stereotype found in his and Wendy's favorite B-Films were held true in reality. If so, running into the woods during nightfall would mean certain death. However, his gal pal had taught him different, based on her own limited hunting experiences. The countless trees provided the perfect form for cover; their shade giving off an excellent source of camouflage.

In such a place, Dipper was shown that the odds could be evened in an unfair fight. As long as remained on task, he would have the advantage, allowing a shot at waiting for the opportunity to strike from the darkness.

 _"Ch-Ch-Ch-Ha-Ha-Ha…"_

Sneaking over a sturdy redwood, Dipper looked towards the horizon, where only a pinch of sunlight still remained, for any sign of his unknown adversary. He spun back against the tree, "Maybe I should climb up to get a better view. It might make me harder to see…"

 _"Ch-Ch-Ch-Ha-Ha-Ha…"_

He stopped as a darker shadow enclosed him. Dipper pulled back, seeing that he was now face-to-face with his pursuer.

"…I think…"

Holding a shining object in both hands, the stranger rushed forward, the fraction of light revealing that it was a handheld chainsaw. The person's face was covered in a dirty, old-fashioned hockey mask, hiding their true identity. The starter was pulled, revving the blade's engine as it was held overhead; the rotating, sharp edges buzzed endlessly as the monstrous being bellowed out a battle cry:

"HEYKIDDOYOUWANTTOSEEMYNEWCHAINSAWANDHOCKEYMASK?!"

"BAAAAHHHHHH!" Dipper let out a shriek of bloody murder, closing his eyes and holding his arms up to protect his helpless body. His high-pitched scream echoed throughout the empty woods.

Seeing his prey's hysterical reaction, the assailant stopped in mid-stroke, as if surprised at what had happened. The chainsaw was lowered, as a voice called out from behind the mask.

"Whoa-Whoa-Whoa! Hey, calm down! It's just – It's just a joke! It's really a plastic prop!"

"Huh?!" Dipper opened his eyes and raised his head. The brute removed his ominous disguise, revealing a pimple-faced teenager with short dark-blond hair. His long, pointy nose was reddened and somewhat bent from being hidden under the mask. Flashing a crooked, metal-braced smile that easily reminded Dipper of his sister's, he wore a heavy-down coat, jeans, and winter boots like he did.

"A joke?"

The high-schooler slapped his leg and laughed, "Yep! And you totally fell for it, hook, line, and sinker! HAHAHA!"

Dipper raised an eyebrow at such odd behavior, "Let me guess: you're one of Wendy's exes, right?"

He nodded proudly, " _Mark Epston at your service_ …" Surprisingly, he offered a hand to Dipper. "C'mon. Up you go…"

Cautious at first, Dipper reluctantly accepted, placing his hand in Mark's awaiting palm…

*BUUZZZ-ZZZZZ!*

…only to receive an electric shock. The current sent Dipper flying back down into the tree's base.

"Oops! Clumsy me!" Mark flipped his hand over to reveal that he was wearing a modified shock button around his index finger. "I forgot about that guy…" He took the device and slipped it off. "Sorry about that." Once more, he lowered his arm towards the still-stunned Dipper. "Here, try now…"

As the shortened adolescent gripped the hand, his added weight pulled it from Mark's sleeve. Dipper tumbled back to the cold floor, freaking out as he tossed the loose limb from hand-to-hand until he finally hurled it deep into the forest.

"BWAHAHAHA!" Mark walked backwards into the closest tree, literally holding his sides as he exploded with laughter. "I can't believe you fell for the same trick – _twice_!"

"Dude!" Dipper threw his arms up in frustration, "What is your deal?!"

Mark wiped away a tear, "Did I – Did I mention that my nickname's "Jokey?" Everyone calls me that, except for Wendy. She always thought it was lame. Oh, man, that girl must have a field day with your gullible butt, doesn't she?"

"Actually…" Dipper used the tree behind him to make it back up. He thought of how if anything, he was often tempted by Wendy's mischievous side, and was regularly asked to join in with her in pranking. The only times he could recall being teased by his crush was throughout his twin's encouragement.

"…you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you…"

"Okay, then," Mark clapped his now-real hands, "I'm sure you already know the deal by now. There's a party happening soon. You're invited. Wendy'll be there, too. I think there's also punch and pie for everybody. .." He pointed towards the distance, and walked past Dipper casually. "Now, let's go!"

Dipper stood his ground as Mark continued on, "Are you serious? I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Mark stopped and grumbled, "Come on, buddy. Aren't you getting tired of this song and dance yet? I know you have been doing this garbage all day. Hell, I've been only out here for an hour or two, and I'm already annoyed by all this."

However, Dipper refused to listen to his reasoning. Without saying another word, he sprinted further into the woods, far away from the latest of Wendy's evil exes.

"Oh! Don't do this, kid!"

Once he was sure of keeping a safe distance, Dipper ducked behind the biggest timber he could find. He could hear Mark call out from yards away; his irritated voice resonated through the forest:

"Please don't make me chase your ass! It's dark, and cold, and I'm starving, so can we stop with the games already?"

Going back to his original idea, Dipper started to scale the tree before him, hoping that the cover of darkness would allow him to go unnoticed. _"This guy must be like their bottom tier. Thankfully, he sounds really bored. With a little luck, he'll call it quits, and I might be able to follow him back to where they're keeping Wendy…"_

*WHOOSH!*

A burst of colorful flame rose up through the branches, nearly striking Dipper on the arm.

*BOOM!*

It exploded into a rain of falling sparks. He tightened his hold on the tree, as he could hear a sing-song tenor coming from the ground.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

*WHOOSH!*

*BOOM!*

Another blaze shot up into the sky, brightening the twilight around him.

"I know you're up there somewhere…"

*WHOOSH!*

*BOOM!*

"I can't believe this!" Dipper shut his eyes to avoid being blinded. "He's shooting at me with fireworks!"

*WHOOSH!*

*BOOM!*

Abruptly, his hands started to burn, even though the winter gloves. With the pain being too much, Dipper was forced to let go of his support. He fell back to the earth, taking hits and bumps as he collided with numerous branches and limbs until he landed on the ground.

"Ah! Ow! Ow! Uh! Ah! Don't - ! Wait - ! AHH!"

*CRASH!*

"Ugh…" Dipper pushed himself off of the forest floor and back into a sitting position. His body felt tenderized by the beating. His brown eyes rolled as he struggled to regain full sight. A Roman Candle stick was thrown down at his feet as Mark stood over him.

"Are we done playing now?"

"You're crazy, man! Just like the rest of them!" With his vision blurred, he tried to flee the scene again, "Get – Get away from me!"

Mark held out his leg and tripped Dipper, sending him back into the dirt.

*SPLAT!*

"Seriously, kid! This is getting sad! Just give up already!"

Dipper was now perplexed; not by Mark's constant assaults, but by his new surroundings. The area where he had landed was now soft and gooey – a severe contrast to the frozen soil that made up the rest of the forest.

He held up a glove, seeing that it was covered in _mocha-colored mud_. The familiarity triggered a panic within Dipper, prompting him to kick away in fear until he was in the clear, "Oh, no! No! No! Get it off! Get it off!"

Dipper looked over his body, finding that he had rid himself of all of the accused slime. He remembered the last time he encountered the supernatural hazard, _where rushing towards his not-so-secret love's rescue almost led to Wendy, Mabel, and him drowning in sentient quicksand._

Mark followed suit, walking directly into the puddle. "Look, guy. Don't freak out. It isn't as big of a deal as you're making all of this…"

*POP!*

Unaware to Mark, Dipper noticed that the squishy patch let out a few bubbles.

 _"Ford's journals said that this stuff randomly pops up in the woods every now and then, but why didn't it try to swallow me or him?"_

A makeshift plan played out in Dipper's mind. There was still a chance to beat this guy.

 _"I wonder…is it just iced over?"_

"Okay! Okay!" Dipper held up a hand, "I quit! I'll…surrender…"

"Finally!" Mark rocked back and forth on his heels. "Now that's over – "

"But before we go…"

"Now what?!"

Dipper stood up and played dumb, "If I go with you, will you guys let Wendy go?"

Mark paused, "I'm…sure…something can be arranged…"

*POP!*

The clever boy watched the mud around his foe started to boil once again.

"Are you guys going to hurt her?"

"Of course not!"

*POP!*

Dipper smiled. His plan was working. "Or me, neither?"

"Yes, you, too…"

*POP!* *POP!*

"Is there really going to be "punch and pie" there?"

Mark was starting to lose his remaining patience. "YES! THERE'LL BE PUNCH AND PIE! THERE'S ALSO GOING TO A CLOWN AND AN UNICORN, TOO! NOW, LET'S GO!"

*POP!* *POP!* *POP!* *POP!*

Knowing what was coming next, Dipper hopped back as a wave of creamy muck rose up from the cracks in the ground. Before he knew it, Mark was swallowed ankle-deep into the now-warm ooze.

"Hey!" He looked around the mud puddle, testing both feet and finding them stuck fast, "I – I can't move!" Mark glanced at Dipper, "What – What is this gunk?"

"Mark," Dipper answered with delight, "I'd like to introduce you to the _"Honesty Muck."_ It's sorta of a rarity here in Gravity Falls.

"Well, don't just stand there! Get me out of this stuff!"

"See, that's the thing," Dipper playfully teased, " _Once the Honesty Muck gets ahold of you, it really doesn't like to let go._ _It really has a thing for pathological liars_ …"

"You little – " Mark leaned as close to Dipper as the slime would allow, reaching out with both hands as if to strangle him, "I swear I'll kill – "

*POP!*

Within seconds, Mark was dragged down knee-deep into the goo. "What – What's it doing?"

"Like I said, it really hates liars…"

For the first time since they met, Mark presented Dipper with a serious expression, "Look, buddy. I – I know we've had our differences, but you – you can't leave me like this. Please!"

"Hmm…" Dipper finally agreed. "Alright. I'll help you out – "

"Really?"

"But first, we're going to play a little game…"

"We're – WHAT?!"

"It's called "Truth or Dare..."" Dipper rested his sore body against a nearby tree has he explained further, "I'm going to ask you questions about this whole thing with Wendy, and you're going to tell me the truth. And if you "dare" lie to me…well, the Honesty Muck will do the rest…"

"I don't believe this…"

"Question 1," Dipper began, "Who is this "boss" that set all this up. And what does he want with Wendy?"

"I'm not telling you – "

*POP!* *POP!* *POP!*

"Okay! Okay!" Mark screamed to stop his descent. "Zeke! Zeke! The dude's name is Zeke. He's a weird guy. Super-hardcore in the lumberjack scene like how Wendy is. He's totally obsessed with her. Has been even before I met her!"

Dipper grew concerned, "When you say "obsessed," do you mean, like "madly in love with her?""

Mark shook his head, "More like " _if he can't have her, no one else will!"_

*POP!* *POP!* *POP!*

The living dirt gave its prisoner some slack. However, he was left unaware in his dread.

"And what do I have to do with this?"

Mark tested his legs again before answering the question, "It's not just you. This Zeke nut has done his homework. Been waiting years for this to happen. He sought out every boy Wendy had some form of relationship with."

"So," Dipper tried to understand, "It's nothing personal…"

"Nope. You were the last name on the list. That's it!"

*POP!* *POP!* *POP!*

More of Mark's body rose from the drip.

"But why help him? Why would you guys help this maniac hurt Wendy?"

"I…" Mark's face twisted and scrunched as he attempted to come up with an answer, "I can't say – I mean, I'm not sure why! I – I don't even know how I got here!"

To Dipper's shock, the Honesty Muck did not devour further for dodging the question.

 _"That means…he's telling the truth!"_ Dipper contemplated, reminded by the other coarse answers that the other ex-boyfriends gave him, " _What if they weren't being jerks? What if they really couldn't say why they were doing this?"_

"Last question, Mark. Are they still at that lumbermill?"

"Yes…" Mark said. _"They're waiting for you…"_

With his inquiries answered, Dipper headed towards his destination, "Well, thanks again for the help. I'll see you around!"

"Wait a sec!" Mark reached out with his hand, "You said – You promised you'd tell me how free myself!"

Dipper stopped, "You haven't figured it out yet? Just don't lie, keep telling the truth, and sooner or later, it'll let you go." He frowned, thinking of his own slimy incident, _"Trust me, I know this first-hand…"_

"But…"

"Sorry, man, but Wendy's waiting on me…" Seconds later, the boy was nothing more than a speck heading further into the night.

"Umm…" Now all alone in the woods, Mark looked down at his still-trapped legs as he thought about Dipper's advice.

"The truth, huh? Here it goes. Um…I like dogs, but I'm not too fond of cats…"

*POP!*


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry for the wait, guys. These chapters took me a bit longer to write than I expected. Hopefully, they're worth the wait, and I'll see you next time for the finale! Thanks again!_

* * *

*SLAM!*

Dipper threw open the double doors of the old lumbermill, straining his noodle arms in doing so. From the inside, a loud *CR-E-E-E-K!* noise alerted those on the opposite end of the abandoned industrial unit.

"Ah!" A voice welcomed him. "I'm afraid we started the festivities without you two. But don't worry, you're just in time for the – " A slight pause overtook it, "Wait? _You're alone?!"_

The small sleuth followed the series of lights hanging overhead towards the center of the room. Dipper shortly came to a halt, finding himself surrounded by towering high schoolers.

"That's him!" He turned left to see Russ pointing directly at him, "That's the little prick that gave me a cheap shot in the nads!"

"He blew up the Arcade!" Dipper was pulled forward by his coat's collar towards a slightly-burned Psyche. "With me in it!"

"WHOA!"

Dipper felt himself being yanked away from the threat, only to face to the pock-filled visage of Robbie V.

"Sorry, fellas. But if anyone gets first dibs on this punk, it's me!" The goth brought Dipper closer, lifting him off his feet. "He's the reason Wendy and I broke up in the first place!"

Dipper grunted as he tried to break free of Robbie's grip, "I - *GAG!* I knew you had something to do with this!"

With every passing second, the rest of the ex-boyfriends began to enclose around Dipper, blocking off any chance of escape…

"ENOUGH!"

All seven boys froze in place. Dipper tried again to see the source of the booming voice, having every view cut off by his much-taller opponents.

"Now, let him pass…"

"Oof!" Dipper was dropped roughly on his bottom. He stroked his backside as he stood back up, watching in amazement as the exes parted ways and stood in two narrow lines, allowing him passage to the rear end of the lumbermill. A warning chill traveled up Dipper's spine as he walked past. His eyes met Danny's, whom merely stared into space.

The final soldier on the end of the left side also made Dipper take notice, "Nate? So…the guys were right. _He and Wendy did date…"_

"Mr. Pines, I presume?"

In the center of the light, a tall boy dressed in blue and black flannel offered an open hand towards him. His brown and auburn blended hair reminded Dipper of a mixture of Wendy's and his own. His sights went back and forth between the stranger's almost-demonic amber eyes and the tribal tattoos wrapped around the arm lowered before him.

 _"The guy with the tattoos…"_

"You must be Zeke…"

"Very impressive!" Zeke congratulated Dipper, taking his hand back. "Not one for shaking hands, but always the detective, I see…"

"Where's Wendy?"

"And quick to the point, too!" He placed a finger against his cheek in admiration, "Let me say, you're a hard man to find, Dipper. And after that entrance, I can see why. I swear; as funny as it sounds, you _do_ remind me of _her_ at a young age-"

"Where's Wendy?!"

Zeke winced as being interrupted, his expression growing somewhat darker. Without saying a word, he motioned with his neck towards the other end. Dipper followed along and gasped at what awaited him.

Wendy sat in a heavy duty, hand-carved wooden chair. Her hands and feet had been duck-taped securely to the seat. Strangely enough, the legs of the chair had been hard-nailed firmly in the floor, preventing the entrapped girl from moving even an inch.

The most haunting detail was that Wendy herself appeared to be lost in a daze. Her pupils had grown wide and dark – never as much as blinking once in his presence. Her mouth was gaped wide open, as a thin layer of drool draped down onto her jeaned lap.

She swayed along to an unknown rhythm, circling around endlessly within her limited mobility while mumbling about in a bunch of non-sensible gibberish.

"Wendy!" He dashed past Zeke and hurried to her side. Placing his hands on hers, Dipper tried to shake his crush awake.

"Wendy? Wendy?!" Receiving no response, Dipper raised his left hand and snapped his fingers in front of her face.

Her condition didn't change in the slightest.

Refusing to leave her, Dipper glanced over his shoulder at Zeke, "What have you done to her?"

The elder Lumberjack crossed his arms behind his back, "I did what I had to. At long last, I made sure justice was finally served. _And this day, it came for our dear Gwendolyn!"_

"Look at her!" Dipper exclaimed. "You left her a lifeless husk! You think that's a fair punishment for whatever it is you accuse her of?!"

Zeke smirked and extended his arm towards her other ex-boyfriends, "You could say the same for how she left all of them – "

"You know that's not what I meant! How could you – "

Dipper paused in mid-argument, as the sound as static filled his ears. He spun back around towards Wendy and searched for the source.

"What – What is that?"

At first, Dipper couldn't locate it, but as his eyes narrowed down, he noticed something off sticking out from her crown of red hair. The copper mass had hidden it away from his earlier examination, but now, it stood out clear as day.

A pair of black Bluetooth speakers had been placed on top of Wendy's head. Ironically, her thick locks prevented them from being tossed off as she twitched randomly.

Dipper leaned closer and held an ear against the padding. His eyes widened as he recognized the particular tune.

"This…This is…"

"Mmm-Hmm…" Zeke nodded as the smaller teen put the pieces together.

Dipper went back towards Zeke's direction, "It's that weird song Robbie had to…" He stopped for a moment, "How did you get your hands on this?"

"Hey, pal. You're not the only one who can do research…"

Dipper pointed back towards Wendy, "Make this stop! Let her go! NOW!"

He shifted his shoulders, "Are you going to make me?"

The young admirer knew he stood no chance against her burly captor. Taking a chance, he grumbled against his breath and reached out for Wendy's headphones. Slowly, Dipper began to lift them from her head…

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…"

Dipper's nerves failed him. The headphones slipped from his fingertips, landing back into place on Wendy. He whirled around on his heels, "What? Did you booby-trap them or something?"

Zeke waved his hand, "Don't be so dramatic! All I'm asking is for you to think about what you're doing…"

"What I'm doing?" Dipper's tone went up another octane. _"You're brainwashing her!_ The same way you obviously did to those guys!"

"Uh-huh…And how did you figure that tidbit out?"

"Oh," Dipper said sarcastically. "You mean besides the weird ticks and their crazy eyes? I'd say…it was definitely when they were on top of me, and you were able to call them off at the drop of a hat; without any sign of emotion or resentment. Total blank slates! It makes all kinds of sense!"

To his surprise, Zeke began to applaud him, "Excellent deduction, Detective! Absolutely brilliant! I'm sure that you make your comic book heroes proud…"

"Dude! What is it that you want from me?!" He threw a hand back towards the gang of Wendy's exes. "To make me like them?!"

Zeke turned his head from side to side, "On the contrary. Believe it or not, it was never my intention to treat you the same as the others…"

"Oh, come on!"

"It's true…"

The villain began to walk towards Dipper, prompting him to back away. He was stopped an instant later, accidentally bumping into the still-comatose Wendy. Remembering his goal, Dipper stood his ground before her, and spread his arms outwards, as if to shield his not-so-secret love from further harm.

"Think about it, bud…" Zeke halted, trying not to make Dipper feel threatened, "I'll admit – I couldn't have pulled this off without _their_ help. And heaven knows that they weren't going to go along with the plan without being…what's the word… _coerced_. But, with you - heck, why do you think you were the very last to be invited back here?"

"I'm…not sure…"

Zeke placed a hand on Dipper's shoulder, spreading goose flesh across his body. "I knew from the start that I wouldn't have to do such a thing with you. After all, we both want the same thing…"

Dipper asked, "And what do you think that is?"

"Why, Wendy's everlasting love, of course! To bask in her admiration and devotion for as long as humanly possible. You can deny it all you want, but deep down, I know it to be true…"

Dipper twisted away from Zeke, and faced Wendy, lowering his head away from her starry glare to ease his guilty conscience.

"You don't know the first thing about me…"

"I know more than you'd like to think – _Mason_ …"

Dipper's eyes opened in shock, "How did – "

"HAHAHA!" Robbie awoke from his stupor to poke fun at his one-time rival, "Your real name is Mason?! I always knew it had to be something totally lame – "

The troubled child yelled at the top of his lungs, "Shut your hole, _Robert Stacey!"_

Robbie growled and rushed towards him, as he was held back by his cohorts. They chuckled at his futile attempt.

"Like I said," Zeke went on. _"I do my research_. And that's not all I know. For example, I know about how you've spent every Valentine's Day all by yourself since you can remember …"

"What does that have to do – "

"And Wendy knows this, doesn't she? Tell me, did she, at least, call you on this last one, knowing how sad and lonely you feel on that day of all days?"

"No, but it's complicated, and I'm sure – "

"Wendy had her reasons…" Zeke finished his sentence. "Wendy _always_ has her reasons, Dipper! Take it from someone that's known her longer than all of you other guys combined!"

"That doesn't matter! _The_ _Wendy I know is not the same one that left you behind…"_

"HA!" Zeke tossed his head back. "Don't get caught up in the hype, Shorty! Wendy might reinvent herself every now and then, but change is well beyond her comprehension. I mean, look around you! That girl is a mash-up of every boy you see in this room! It wasn't bad enough that she stole their minds and hearts, but to take things that made them unique and claim it as her own…"

"I can't speak for everything that Wendy and you guys have been through, but –"

Dipper broke in mid-sentence as Melody's words were presented to him in a new clarity.

"You know what? Scratch that – _it doesn't matter what all of you and Wendy have been through…"_

"W-What?!" Zeke appeared irked by this new challenge.

 _"Did it ever occur to you that Wendy might still do all of these things that she was shown and taught because in a sense, it's like carrying the good that she shared with each and every one of you?_ _Regardless of who broke whoever's heart, the point is that there'll always something positive to look back on…"_

Dipper tapped his chest, "And that, I can speak about from experience! Wendy and I might have not known each other for very long, but after everything that's happened this summer, you couldn't tell me any different. I'd be lying if I said it was perfect, but things are way better than they were beforehand. I have someone who'll always listen when I need to be heard; someone who'll be ready to fight when I'm in a jam, and even someone who'll always forgive me when I screw up loyally. _Wendy has done all of these things for me!"_

The young rescuer reached into his coat and pulled out his white and blue cap. He raised it up high and displayed it to the crowd hanging on his every word, "If anything should serve as a symbol of what I'm saying to be true, _let it be this!_ From the day I left Gravity Falls to when you jerks nabbed her, Wendy has worn this cap, not because it easily fits with any given fashion, but because _it's mine!_ _It's her way of having a part of me wherever she might need it!_ "

He shot a stare directly at Danny, "And until recently, I used to have something like that from her…"

In a sorrowful fashion, the other thirteen-year-old popped his own trapper hat from his head, and gazed down at it in his hands, _"She...wears his hat, too…"_

The rest of the mob began to converse about Dipper's presented contradiction.

"Is he…telling the truth?"

"She never forgot about him…"

"But that's impossible!"

"Wendy… _can actually change?"_

"Silence, fools!" Zeke bellowed, wishing to quell another uprising before it began. He went in Dipper's direction, "Not bad at giving "Cowboy speeches," but to be honest, it was something… _unexpected_ , considering your character…"

"I don't understand…" Dipper was confused by the statement. He stashed Wendy's hat back into his jacket.

Zeke picked up something from the table with Wendy's hatchet on it. He held it up with one hand, allowing the young adventurer to make it out. It was an old copy of the Gravity Falls Gossiper from last summer. With the headline, _""Mystery Solver" Catches Vampire Bat_ ," the front page shown a black and white picture of Dipper single-handedly fending off a giant winged creature before a cowering Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland.

"While your message was heartfelt," Zeke explained. " _It was merely that_ ; left devoid of any factual evidence – a far cry from that which has made you this town's greatest detective and crime solver…"

"Well – "

"Let me lay down some cold, hard facts for you…" He gestured towards the other exes. "FACT – Wendy has broken the hearts of every single person in this room – yourself included!"

"That's not entirely – "

"FACT – that smug cheat has done so, in despite of her making countless promises, swearing numerous oaths, and as you suggested, given away _so-called precious mementos_ as a symbol of her affection. I wouldn't even go as far as to say "love…""

"That's not exactly what I was going for, but – "

"And let's not forget the most important fact of all – " Zeke approached his guest once more, "The fact of what I have to offer you…"

"Offer me?"

" _Join me_ …" the mastermind presented. "Join me, Dipper, and together, we'll rule Wendy's future love life! I know it seems rather harsh, especially when you look at _them_ …"

He glared at the members of his troop in disgust.

" _She doesn't have to be like that, Dipper_. She'll be the same Wendy she's always been, _but better_. She'll still want to go on adventures and laugh at your lame jokes, and play and goof around to her heart's content rather than work, but at the same time, we'll be able to remove everything horrible about her."

"You'd – " Dipper could barely finish his sentence, _"You'd erase a part of her soul?"_

"Would you really want to keep all of that?" Zeke demanded. "Haven't you been paying attention?! Sooner or later, _everything that has happened to us will eventually happen to you!_ I can promise you that!" He sneered, pulling back, "I'd be shocked if it didn't already, rather it be a missed phone call here, or a forgotten text there; that's how it starts, y'know… We can change that! You'll never be lonely or feel felt out, or be afraid of saying the wrong thing ever again!"

Dipper remained silent as doubts began to fill his mind yet again.

"But with that promise made, Dipper: all you have to do is say " _yes_." Simply stand aside and let things happen, and _Wendy will always be yours. Ours…_ " The overzealous rogue threw an irked arm upwards in victory, "It is our divine right to do so, _as the very first and last boyfriends of Wendy Corduroy!"_

"I – Wait, what?"

Zeke looked down at the distraction, "Huh?"

Dipper twitched nervously at the thought, "What you just said – you think that I'm Wendy's boyfriend?"

Zeke appeared astonished by Dipper's question, "Well, yeah. Maybe you haven't figured it out yet, but that's kinda the running theme here…"

"See, that's the thing…" The embarrassed teen set his brown eyes towards the floor as he poked at his fingers, "Wendy and I…never officially…"

Zeke's confident grin faded away, "Beg pardon?"

"Yeah…"

After freezing for a flash, the twisted master of ceremonies began to laugh, "Oh, I see. I get it! I get it! You're trying to pull a fast one on me, aren't ya?"

Dipper raised his head. His somber gaze provided more than any possible words could.

Zeke shook his head, "No…that can't be right…" He went up and down in strides, attempting to figure things out. "But…it doesn't make any sense. You two were nearly inseparable here – and didn't she spend Christmas with your family?"

Dipper nodded in response.

The baffled kidnapper held a hand across his face as he thought. He snapped his fingers and pointed into the gathering of exes. "You! Um… _Creeping Death_! I know you really have it out for this kid. He's pulling my leg, right?"

Being summoned, Robbie spoke up, "You betcha! But, he's telling you the truth – _the runt's really a loser…"_

Zeke wiped at his brow, as a sorrowful appearance overtook him, "What am I doing? I almost made a terrible mistake!"

Dipper's face began to lighten at the news. Could it really be this simple? Was this quest for vengeance against Wendy finally at an end?

The much-taller young man took a knee, "I am so, so sorry for involving you in all of this." He looked behind Dipper towards Wendy, "And here I thought she was already messed up…"

Zeke reached into his wallet and took over a bundle of cash. He placed the wad inside Dipper's left hand and cupped it close. "This should cover the cost to get you back home, plus a little bit extra for your troubles…"

"Really? So, I'm free to go?"

"You got it, sport."

"And Wendy, too?"

Zeke chuckled, "Not a chance! You might not have anything to do with it, but it doesn't change anything between her and us." He tapped Dipper's hand, "Now, run along, buddy, while we take care of some unfinished business…"

"NO!"

Dipper slapped Zeke's hand away, spilling the currency all over the floor in a messy pile.

"Hmmph! Rude!"

"There's no way I'm leaving her!" Dipper exclaimed.

Zeke stood up and laughed at his resolve, "Such determination... _I swear, she doesn't deserve someone like you_ , shrimp…." He opened his arms, "Don't be stupid! You're literally in the Lion's Den, outnumbered by incredible odds, with slim chances of getting out of this unscathed! _Do you honestly believe that Wendy would go through this kind of trouble for you - especially if there wasn't any chance to win?!"_

Dipper turned back to look at the still-lost Wendy, as the world began to change about him again. Caught up in another flashback, the adolescent found himself back in the alcoves of the Gravity Falls Museum – the site of his first meeting with the Blind Eye Society.

 _Old Man McGucket had accidentally set off a trigger alarm and fled the scene, leaving Dipper and Soos to be captured by the mysterious cult. Once secured, the two friends were dragged to the main chamber, where the rest of the sect had corned Wendy and Mabel by the restraint chair used for memory wipes._

 _In spite of their overwhelming odds, Wendy stood her ground and maneuvered her hatchet between her fingers in hopes of intimidating her pursuers. Her metal-mouthed companion took shelter behind her._

 _"Give it up, brat!" One of the members demanded, while keeping a safe distance, "You two are surrounded! There's no way out!"_

 _Wendy didn't answer; her sights set out for any that would be foolish enough to advance on her._

 _All of a sudden, Dipper felt himself being pushed in front of the crowd, "Hey! What are you – "_

 _Once they reached the front of the crowd, his handler wrapped an arm around his neck to secure him further. Dipper noticed a small pinch against his left temple. From the corner of his eye, he could make out the edge of the Memory Erasure gun._

 _"Hey, sweetheart!" The voice shouted to Wendy from overhead. She spun towards the clamor, her toughen stance fell upon seeing Dipper's predicament. Her body froze on the spot. With that small gesture, she had given herself away._

 _"This is the deal: you have three seconds to surrender, or else, your little boyfriend here gets a full blast right in his huge head!" Dipper struggled against his captor, whom only tightened his hold on his prize._

 _"One…"_

 _"Wendy, don't do it!" Dipper shouted._

 _Mabel gripped her tallest cohort's jeaned leg. "Wendy…"_

 _"Two…"_

 _Soos closed his eyes, not wanting to see the messy aftermath._

 _"Thr- "_

 _"Okay! Okay…"_

 _Wendy took her hatchet-handling arm and stretched it outwards. She opened her hand and the blade fell to the floor with a noisy "CLANG!"_

 _"Just don't hurt him…"_

 _A second later, a random Society member stepped forward, holding a bundle of braided rope. Already knowing what they expected, Wendy sighed and placed her fists together, extending them outwards._

 _"What are you doing?!" Mabel asked as another member quickly swooped towards her._

 _"What else am I supposed to do?!" Wendy turned to her as the rope was swiftly wrapped around and under her wrists. She glanced towards Dipper with a sense of concern, as the ashamed explorer broke eye-contact._

 _"What else am I supposed to do?"_

Dipper blinked, and found that he was back in the lumbermill. He saw Wendy's green eyes staring at him and wondered if that was how he looked when he needed her most. _The decision had been made._ Dipper moved his hands on top of Wendy's headset and whispered, "I'm sorry…"

"Remember, there will be consequences for your actions…"

Dipper asked, without turning back around, "Will you try to stop me?"

Zeke swore to him, "Not at all. You have my word that if Wendy wishes to leave with you, neither my men nor I will attempt to keep you here. Just keep in mind that there is no going back from this point on…"

Committed to his choice, Dipper carefully plucked the headphones from Wendy's head, making sure not to get it tangled in her hair. Setting them on the ground, the tiny liberator searched his pockets for his trusty multi-tool. Once found, he opened his knife and began to slice through the tape binding Wendy's feet and hands.

"I'll…have you free… in a second…"

Dipper peeked up at Wendy. Despite having the source of her sickness removed, her state hadn't changed in the least. She continued to stare blankly into the distance like a sort of living doll.

"Wendy…" Dipper rubbed her knee. "Wendy, wake up… _please_ …"

 _"Wendy…"_

Zeke called out to his former girlfriend, prompting her to look towards his direction. Dipper followed his direction, unaware of what was occurring, "What…"

The ringleader highlighted Dipper with his finger, "Wendy… _beat him within an inch of his life!"_

*POW!*

Before he could even turn around, a lightning-fast fist struck Dipper in the mouth. He tumbled across the floor multiple times before coming to a slumped halt. The fallen detective forced himself up as his lip throbbed. Dipper used his finger to examine the damage – the tip was covered with blood.

He couldn't believe what had just happened. "Wendy?"

The ginger didn't speak a word. A permanent scowl that been imprinted across her face. Her gaze held nothing but rage and utter contempt for her partner in crime. She hopped into her seat, and sprang from it in a gigantic bound. As Wendy soared through the air, she let out an Amazonian roar before she came crashing towards the earth.

*SMASH!*

Dipper used his arms to push himself back at the last possible minute. The red-headed warrior landed a few feet away fist first. A large indent was imprinted in the floor upon her landing. Having missed her mark, Wendy rose up and stood fully erect, her sights never wandering from her pleading target.

"Wendy, stop!" Dipper begged, barely making it back to his knees. "Don't listen to him! Don't listen – "

*SMACK!*

She pulled her arm and delivered an excruciating backhand across his cheek. Dipper kneaded his sore spot, trying his best to fight back against the involuntary tears incoming.

"Wendy – that really hurt…"

He saw her raise her hand again. This time, Dipper was able to mount a defense, using his thin arms to protect himself from countless slaps and punches. After her last attempt, he tugged her wrist down, using it as a support to make it to his feet.

"Please – Wendy!" Dipper pleaded, "You don't know what you're doing! I – AAAHHH!"

*KRAK!*

Wendy had reversed his grasp, using both hands to take a hold of his left. She applied extra pressure to the small palm until it cracked loudly. Dipper yanked his hand away, testing his digits to ensure they weren't broken. Before he could fully recover, the cashier clasped his jacket by the shoulders and flipped Dipper over her side with a Judo-styled throw.

"WHOOOOAAAAA!"

*THWACK!*

The back of Dipper's head collided with the solid ground. He moaned aloud and winced, closing his eyes for a split second. The child opened them, seeing that a dirt-covered boot was now storming down on him.

"ACK!"

*CRASH!*

Dipper rolled out of the way, just as Wendy's foot crashed on the floor. She growled at missing her mark. Her admirer backpedaled on his hands as he begged, "Can't – Can't we just talk about this for a sec – what?!"

Suddenly, Dipper was pulled to a standing position was an unknown person. He glanced behind his shoulder to see Russ beaming down at him.

"Where do you think you're going, pal? You're not getting away that easy!" The jock-bully gave him a hard shove back into the fray.

"Yeah, man!" Stoney agreed. "Let's see where your big mouth got ya, eh?"

"You're telling me, guys…" Robbie wringed his hands menacingly, "Watching this is like having Christmas and my birthday on the same day!"

"Betcha five bucks she kills him in the next two minutes…"

"Hell, I say she'll do it with the next punch!"

"You're on!"

Dipper looked around as the evil exes formed a tight-knit circle as Wendy and him. They cheered and hollered for the programmed lumberjack princess as she unwittingly went on with trying to dismantle her youngest aficionado piece by piece.

 _"This is nuts!"_ Dipper thought. _"These guys have us trapped with no chance of escape. They're actually hollering for my blood, and worse of all, I have no idea how to get Wendy to wake up!"_

Wendy took a step towards him, her expression just as plain as when he first found her. She cracked her knuckles loudly – a small gesture of the overwhelming punishment that was sure to follow.

 _"You have to get real, Dipper. There's no way that you'll be able to fight back. She has the advantage on you in strength, speed, and height, but perhaps there's another way. Maybe if I can keep dodging her, Wendy'll get tired out, and I'll have better luck in trying to break Zeke's hold on her. After all, the best defense is a good offense – or is that the other way 'round?"_

Dipper noticed Wendy pulling her arm back to deliver another devastating haymaker.

 _"She's going to swing – I need to time this just right…"_

Wendy launched forward fist-first, as Dipper ducked down at the last second. Seeing a clear path before him, Dipper dashed past his sweetheart, only to be snagged before making his escape.

"Huh?!" An instant later, the middle-schooler was hoisted off the ground. Feeling a pinch in both his neck and the back of his pants, Dipper used what little mobility he had left to see that he was beneath Wendy's grim façade.

 _"Crap! I was too slow!"_

Dipper's eyes lit up as he noticed that Wendy was carrying him towards the table of refreshments, "W-Wait? Wendy, what are going to do?"

Robbie slapped Nate's chest as a devious smile formed, "Oh, watch this! It's gonna be awesome!"

Dipper yelped as he was thrown face first onto the table. He looked up to see that innumerable beverages, glass holders, and open containers were set in his path. Once he noticed that Wendy had taken hold again, Dipper realized what was coming next.

"Oh, no! Wendy! Wendy! Wait a sec! Don't – AAH!"

He screamed aloud, using his hands to shield his face as Wendy dragged his body across the entire table, emptying its contents all across the floor.

"Ohh!" A collective cry was uttered by the evil exes.

"Brutal!"

"That might be the greatest thing I've ever seen!"

"Hey, I was going to eat that!"

Dipper fell from the edge of the table, flipping over onto his backside with a grunt. A boot launched itself onto his chest, pinning him into place. Wendy looked down at her prey, without any sign of regret or pity; her pressure increased with every passing second.

"W- W-Wendy…" Dipper managed to choke out. It was getting harder to breathe.

 _"Beautiful, isn't she?"_

The distressed hero could hear Zeke comment from the background, " _Beneath all those layers, this is Wendy's true self: aggressive, hostile, and even somewhat feral in nature. The restraints of humanity have been stripped away from her, leaving her in her purest form – completely wild and untamed like the animal she really is deep down…"_

He walked into sight, "Now, tell me, Dipper. After everything you have been through, what do you think of "your Wendy" now?"

The boy used the bit of upper-body strength he had to push back against Wendy's ankle, "It – doesn't – make – any –difference!"

"What?!"

"You're – You're making her do this! This isn't really her! I don't care what you say! Wendy isn't really like this! She's not a monster! _She's not a monster like you!"_

"A monster, am I?" Zeke's patience had finally come to an end. He pointed down at Dipper, "Wendy, I changed my mind. Crush his windpipe – RIGHT NOW! I want him to experience a slow and agonizing death!"

"AGH!" Wendy increased the pressure down on Dipper's chest, making him groan louder. He tightened his grip on her leg as he continued to try to take some of the stress off his softened body. He set his sights upwards as his vision was getting darker, "Wendy – I know – you're trying – it's – not your – fault…"

When all appeared to be lost, Dipper could make out a fledging symbol of hope: despite her hardened look never fading for a moment, two individual streams of tears traveled down her freckled face.

"I – I knew it!" Dipper coughed out. _"You're there! You're still in there somewhere!"_ He moved his hands further up her leg for better support, "You can do it, Wendy! Fight him! You can beat him! I know you can!"

"Dream on, loser!" Zeke mocked. "I gave her double the dose that I did with those guys – and they follow my every word. She has no chance of breaking through!"

Dipper's hands moved to the back of Wendy's knee as she pushed harder against him. "Don't listen to him, Wendy! Since when have you let any creep-o-zoid tell you what to do with you with your life?"

"AHAHAHAHA!"

Abruptly, Wendy began to explode with laughter. Her legs buckled over, making her nearly topple over. Dipper tightened his hold on her thigh, making the ginger giggle and twist even more.

"W-HHHOOOAAA!"

*CRASH!*

The lanky high-schooler had landed on top of her friend, fencing him in between her legs. He took a long-awaited deep breath, finding his airway blocked by mounts of lavish red hair. He gagged and pushed against the locks, forcing them back by Wendy's neck and behind her shoulders.

"TEEHEETEEHEE!"

Dipper noticed that Wendy was now sporting a half-hearted smile. _"What gives with the cases of the giggles? All I did was press against the back of her knee and pushed her hair past her neck…"_

A new hypothesis struck him. It was so bizarre and absurd that even he had trouble believing it, and yet, it did make sense – if Wendy had no way to control her body, perhaps he could help her force it back until control.

Before the stunned pugilist could recuperate, Dipper slipped his hands beneath Wendy and held them over both sides of her ribcage. He bit his lip in hesitation, and then mercilessly dug his fingertips into her sides.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Wendy shut her eyes as she threw her head back with mirth. The red coloring started to return to her face. Her bleak visage was starting to vanish from sight.

 _"It's working! I can't believe it, but it's actually working!"_

Unexpectedly, Wendy snatched up Dipper's wrists and held them against the floor. She met him face-to-face and crazily snarled at him.

 _"Okay. So, she went from total gigglepuss to growling maniac – not the result I hoped for, but at least it's something – wait, that's it! It's not the tickling! It's emotional response!"_

Dipper looked ahead towards the roaring teenager before him, finding that he couldn't squirm out of her grasp.

 _"But what can I do like this? I can't go anywhere with Wendy on top of me like this. I'm lucky I can barely move my head – "_

With Wendy only inches away from him, a new idea became clear – _there was one definite thing Dipper could do that would trigger a severe emotional response in this state._

He started to hyperventilate; was it the task at hand that made him nervous or the possibility of failure? Either way, Dipper knew he had to take this chance not only for his sake, but Wendy's as well.

"Wendy…" Dipper closed his eyes tight, "Please don't be mad at me for this…"

He lounged forward and pressed his lips against hers. From within his self-imposed darkness, Dipper couldn't tell if he was making a difference or not…

 _…until Wendy kissed him back…_

The boy gasped and pulled away. Gone was the soulless glare in Wendy's emerald eyes; instead, she now sported a starry look. Dipper let out a sigh of relief as long last, his main squeeze batted her eyelashes. A toothy smile stretched outwards, showing off her dimples.

She began to speak, her voice creaking like an unused door, "You…"

"Wendy!" He started to stammer in fear of consequences of his actions. "I'm sorry! I couldn't think – I didn't know what else – "

"You…"

Dipper's senses came to a head as Wendy rose up from her knees. Her relaxed state quickly morphed into one of pure rage.

"Wendy…?"

She turned around, so that every one of her kidnappers would see her grinded teeth, _"You...guys….are….soooooo….dead!"_

With that, she offered a hand down towards Dipper. He flashed a smirk and let her help him back up.

"What kept you?"

"Heh. I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Eh…" Wendy shrugged, "You can say I was lost in my own mind…"

The duo found themselves standing back to back as they were surrounded by the legion of ex-boyfriends.

"What are you fools waiting for?" Zeke ordered. "GET THEM!"

As the spellbound attackers started to close in, Dipper took notice of their chances, "Um…not to be a downer or anything, but the odds are kinda against us…"

"Man!" Wendy punched her open palm in frustration, "I wish we could get, like, one of those "last-minute saves" you see in the movies."

"You mean a "deus-ex-machina?""

"Yep. That thing would certainly come in handy right about now…"

*SLAM!*

The front doors to the lumbermill were blown open, making every person in the building stop and take notice. A lone figure stormed into the scene with their fists circled up.

"No..way…"

"How in the world…?"

Wendy and Dipper watched in disbelief as Tambry marched down the main path towards the ex-boyfriends. A bewildered Zeke left his post to discover more about his unknown visitor, "Excuse me, miss, but this is – "

"Cram it, blue boy" The pink-haired teen held up her hand as she went on, "This doesn't concern you!" The fiery hipster stopped in front of her gothic beau and began to poke her with her finger, "Where in the hell have you been? You better not say you were gonna ditch me tonight!"

"T-T-Tambry?" The sight of his current girlfriend was starting to bring Robbie out of his hypnosis. "Who - ?"

"Who?" She replied angrily. "You mean, the girl you promised to watch the meteor showers with? That's who!" Tambry pulled her cell out, "I'm just lucky I can track you with your phone's GPS feature!"

Wendy tried to explain, "Tambry, you don't – "

"Don't know – don't care." She immediately cut her off. "I'm not waiting another four years to see this thing." Tambry reached out and started to drag Robbie away. "We're leaving…NOW!"

On the opposite side of the circle, she noticed that Nate was covering his chuckles with his hand. Her free hand shot out and snagged him by the bottom of his earlobe.

"BAH!"

"And you, too, idiot! I'm not sure what you're doing here, either, but it's probably anything but good!"

"But, Tambers – OWWW!"

Tambry headed for the exit with her two boys in tow, pleading and cringing with every step.

"But, Tambry! We could really use your help – "

"Nope! Not dealing with the "crazy" today! It's all yours!"

*SLAM!*

Both heroes and antagonists were left dumbfounded by the random encounter.

"Well," Zeke noted. "That was something else…"

Wendy patted the back of her head, "You're telling me…"

Dipper shifted his shoulders, "Hey, you didn't say how you wanted it…"

"True…"

Zeke wiped his face, "Oh, enough of this garbage!" He waved his troops, "Attack! ATTACK!"

As Russ went to grab Dipper, the much-smaller adversary slid under his legs to safety. He could hear Wendy fighting off her own assailant nearby. Dipper fell on his side and delivered a hard kick behind his knee. The varsity star dropped down to one leg, turning around and scowling, "Why you – "

*BAM!*

As Russ was distracted, Wendy dashed in and delivered an uppercut that send him flying. She gave her partner in crime an approving nod.

"That's the ticket, kiddo!" She jabbed in mid-air to demonstrate, "You set 'em up, and I'll knock 'em down!"

They shared a momentary triumph, before a loud *POP* filled the arena. Something soft and stringy wrapped around Wendy's legs, pulling them together.

"Hey! What gives?!" She had been ensnared in some sort of odd-looking net.

A line attached to the mesh began to retract, yanking Wendy off of her feet. She landed on the tile flooring chin first, given only a moment to rub her sore spot, before being dragged across the ground.

"WENDY!" Dipper sprinted after her as fast as his stringy legs could carry. He traced the cord towards another ex he had never seen before: _a strange looking boy sporting a mock-crocodile-hunter outfit._ The new face sported a type of launcher, which served as the base of the netting. He cranked a handle back, as one would in catching a fish, in order to draw Wendy closer.

"Hmm…looks like I caught me a "hundred-and-fifteen-pounder…"

"Please, Stoney!" Wendy turned her neck while digging her fingernails into the floor to slow herself a bit, "That's just cruel! I'm no more than "one" on the head! Tops!"

Stoney spun the crank harder, pulling Wendy with enough force to lift her off the ground. She groaned as her grip was slipping with every second…

"Gotcha!"

Wendy looked ahead to see Dipper's straining face. He had caught both of her wrists just about she went airborne. "I…gotcha…"

"Great save…"

Dipper dug his heels into the floor to try to stop her progress, but Stoney definitely had the advantage in pure strength. Wendy winced as she was trapped between an ever-lasting tug of war. The youngster searched around his current surroundings for a way out of this mess.

They were alongside another table that had been set up in the lumbermill – the same that kept Zeke's files and documents, but Wendy's treasured hatchet as well.

He pulled Wendy's hands closer to his chest, "Switch with me real fast! Grab my jacket!"

Wendy did what was asked, moving hand by hand from Dipper's palms to his coat. The extra weight forced him forward, making him readjust his balance. With his arms free, Dipper extended his arm towards her blade as they were yanked closer, missing his mark by a fingertip's length. He threw his arm further the second time, catching the rounded handle with his index finger.

"YES!"

Dipper took hold of Wendy's axe and held it in front of her right hand. Wendy raised her sights in amazement, and understood their battle plan. She seized the hatchet and tightened her left hand on Dipper's jacket. The line binding her to Stoney grew even tauter.

"All right," Wendy planned, "Let go in 3…2…1…"

Dipper released Wendy's hand. The nimble clerk snapped back, seeming to fly through the air with the greatest of ease. Stoney looked towards the ceiling to see that Wendy was zooming down with her axe's sharpen edge aimed directly at him.

"Holy shit!" He dropped his launcher and backed away. Wendy landed in front of him on one knee. Her anger outweighed the temporary pain. Before Stoney could react, she grabbed the device off the floor and jammed it deep into his stomach. He bent over in reflex as Wendy jumped up and smacked him across the head.

*BAM!*

Stoney dropped to the earth as Wendy let the now-broken pieces of his toy slip from her fingers.

"Sucker…"

Wendy started to try to untangle her legs as Dipper hurried to her side. He went to help in removing the net when they both spotted a pair of mud-covered legs stepping into frame.

"You!" Dipper rubbed his eyes. "There's no way!"

Wendy narrowed her eyes to get a better look, "Mark…Epston?"

Sure enough, the dirt-soaked joker had finally made it to the rendezvous point. His blond hair was now pointed and messy. His face was reddened and flush, as if he was in a fight. Assorted patches of mud had been splattered across his jacket and dark denim jeans. Mocha-colored slime was caked from his knees all the way down around his stained socked feet.

"But how do you escape?!" Dipper asked in a panic. "You're a chronic liar! You should have been stuck there for hours!"

Wendy found herself intrigued, "Dude, what did you do to him?"

"I…might have sic'ed Honesty Muck on him…"

Proud of her boy, Wendy messed up his hair with affection, "Nice!"

"What?!" Mark interrupted. "Do you two think you're funny? It took me nearly an hour to get that gunk down enough for me to slip off my shoes and make a run for it!"

"Slipped your…

"Shoes off…?"

Dipper and Wendy turned towards each other, remembering their own troubles with the dangerous goo. They simultaneously blurted out, _"Why didn't we think of that?!"_

"Yeah, well. You guys forgot about one vital thing…" He pulled an oversized gun out from his coat and pointed it at the two friends. "I'm the one who tells the jokes and play the pranks! You got that?!"

As Mark's finger squeezed the trigger, Wendy began to jerk harder at the web binding her feet. "Wait! Don't – "

At the last second, Dipper threw himself in front of his not-so-secret love. "No! Wendy!"

"Dipper, don't -"

A giant red punching glove blasted out of the nozzle and cracked Dipper across the face. The brave kid was thrown across the floor as the extendable mechanism retracted the glove back into the gun. With his cheek swelling up, he looked back to see that Wendy had removed the net from her legs and tossed it in Mark's face as a distraction. Now freed, she followed suit by leaping up and slugging him one.

"Ooh!" Dipper flinched at the display before him. "Bet that hurt…"

Before he could make it back up, Wendy was already at Dipper's side. She pulled him upright. "'You okay?"

Dipper massaged his injury, "I've been better…"

She playfully slapped his shoulder, "Dip, you totally took a punch in the face for me…" Wendy covered her heart and threw her arm into the air, "…though I could have lived without the ultra-dramatic "NOOOOOO!""

He placed his fists against his hips, "It wasn't like that – it was a regular "No!""

"I'm sure it was…"

The sound of a throat clearing made the two twirling around on their heels. A second battalion of ex-boyfriends awaited them.

"Almost forgot about them…"

"At least we're getting there, right? It's 3-2 now!"

"Not for long!" Eli threw a green object into the floor. It sprung to life and started to squirm across the floor. The brainiac shouted to his teammate, "Hey, Psyche! Lemme get a bit of that gaming magic, eh?"

"Coming right up!" The pro gamer rubbed his hands together and drew his double-screened portable system from his pocket. He opened the device and slid a dial to the maximum. "3D effect activated!"

A peculiar yellow ray of light shined from the gaming system, blanketing the green welt.

*R-OA-R!*

The earth beneath Dipper and Wendy's feet began to quake. The shapeless spud started to take form. It rose towards the ceiling; its center turning a bright purple. Thick roots grew from the bottom, stretching out into dozens of tendrils. The mid-section split into two, revealing row after row of pointy teeth.

"That thing – it looks just like…"

"I know…" Dipper agreed. "It's almost like a _Wendy-III…_ "

"Dipper!" Wendy chastised _. "We've had this conversation! No more naming monsters after me! No monstrous Wendy plants! No Wendy-duck possessed dolls! No nothing!"_

"Sorry, but it does look like – WHOA!"

The living Venus fly trap slipped a tentacle around his waist. Despite his cries, Dipper was heaved into the air, bobbing and weaving about as it gradually brought the tasty morsel closer to its own mouth.

"Dipper! I'm coming! I'm – AAH!"

He looked behind him to see that Wendy had become caught up in the plant's limbs as well. The pair was flung back and forth as the beast happily played with its meal.

*THUNK!*

"What was that?"

"Um…" Wendy answered in a sheepish tone, "That was the sound of my hatchet dropping on the floor…"

"That's not good…"

The two teenagers were becoming nauseated from being waved around like mere playthings.

*BURP!* "I think I'm going to be sick…"

"This blows!" Wendy pounded on the thick vines with her fists, "All this thing wants to do is mess with our heads and play games!"

 _"Play games?!"_ Dipper had a stroke of genius. "Wendy, you're brilliant!"

"Why now?"

"Because _it is like a game_! It's like _"Super Linguini Bros!"_ "

"It is…?"

"Yes! We'll beat it the same way you would in the game! Do you still have your lighter with you?"

Despite her restrictions, Wendy stuck her hand in her pocket and retrieved her vintage Zippo. "Got it!"

"Okay, give me a sec…" Dipper moved his hand back against his knapsack and fumbled with the zipper compartments. After a few seconds, he found his prize, tightly clutching a can of hair spray.

"Oh!" The girl nodded at the sight. "I get it now!"

"Wendy…" Dipper closed an eye to get a best sight of aim. "Get ready…"

She squeezed her arms up past the constricting tendril, extending her lighter-holding hand as far away from her body as possible. Wendy twisted her head in the opposite direction as her thumb clicked the trigger, producing a small, but powerful flame.

"All right…" Dipper waited until he and Wendy were lined up in a near-straight line. "NOW!"

The spurt of hair spray spread across the atmosphere as it hit Wendy's lighter. The fire increased tenfold, striking the midsection of the killer greenery at a rapid rate.

*AAIIIEEEEEE!*

The blaze covered the plant as it squealed in agony. In its death throes, it flung Wendy and Dipper from its grapple, as it used its tentacles to try to put out the inferno. Despite its efforts, the mighty flame spread across its entire body, reducing it to a blackened husk.

Psyche and Eli were left in incredulity after witnessing the entire battle. They moved towards their failed weapon, hearing a strange sound coming from behind it:

*CR-E-E-E-K!*

The charred structure began to fall over towards them. The boys tried to flee, but were unable to escape its range.

*SPLOOSH!*

A windstorm of pure ash swirled around the room. The black cloud _dissipated_ , as the remainders of the monster transformed into melting pixels. When the smoke cleared, only three people were left standing. Dipper and Wendy stood side by side as Zeke blocked the only exit to the lumbermill.

"Well…" the last ex waved his hand, trying to clear some of the darkened air. "That was a waste, wasn't it?"

With success so close, Dipper lead the way into the final battle. "C'mon, Wendy! Let's finish this once and for all!"

The headstrong boy charged towards his final opponent, only to hear a startled voice call out, "No! Dipper! Wait!"

"Huh?" He winded his head back towards her.

*BAMF!*

Dipper instantly fell to his knees as Zeke withdrew his fist from his gut. He choked loudly in an effort to gather air. Not wasting a second, the renegade lumberman seized him by the throat.

"You little son-of-a-bitch!" He bellowed. "You ruined everything! Believe me when I say, punk, that your suffering is just beginning!"

"Dipper!"

Wendy rushed forward, with reclaimed hatchet in hand, as Zeke roughly hauled Dipper back to his feet. He maintained his hold on his hostage by twisting the child's right arm behind his back.

"GAH!"

"Stay where you are…!"

Her feet froze to the spot as Dipper struggled futilely to escape.

"…or less, I rip this baby bird's wing like a wishbone!"

Dipper could see the worry growing on Wendy's face.

"Let him go, Zeke!" His crush demanded. "It's over!"

"Hmm…" The brunette rolled his amber eyes, "Oh, I don't think so." He pulled Dipper's arm further, making him cry out for a second time.

"AAH!"

"Dipper! Don't – Don't hurt him!"

Zeke laughed, "It's incredible! It's truly incredible! The kid – _this kid was telling the truth. You have changed, haven't you? You finally learned to care about someone besides yourself!"_

"Zeke, I swear to you – "

"AAH!"

"Huh? It looks like Dipper doesn't like you making empty promises that you can't keep. You have quite the catch here, Gwendy; such a loyal, lovesick puppy this runt is…"

"Okay…" Wendy lowered her arms to diffuse the situation. "Okay…just take it easy… What is it that you want?"

"What I want?" Zeke played quiet for a moment, "I guess…I want to see how far you're willing to go for him?"

"I don't understand…"

"Well," Zeke elaborated. "I just witnessed you two – a wonderfully dynamic duo – plow through all of these guys like they were nothing. It's obvious that you'd die for one another, but the real question is _would you live for him?"_

"What – I don't get it – "

Zeke motioned towards the other end of the room with his head, "For starters: your blade; toss it!"

Wendy looked down at the hatchet in her hands. Dipper knew if she gave away her weapons, their odds of survival would be slashed in half.

"NOW!"

Without another thought, she hurled the blade against the back wall. The axe clanged with the machinery in the background before disappearing in the depths of the factory.

"Good girl! Good girl…" With Dipper still in his clutches, Zeke nodded downwards, "Now, go towards dumbass over there…"

She spotted Stoney's unconsciousness body a few feet away from her. Dipper watched helplessly as Wendy moved towards her fallen ex.

"SLOWLY!"

Wendy held her hands up as she moved at a snail's pace. She knelt down next to Stoney. "Alright. Now what?"

"Take those things off his belt…"

The ginger carefully explored the hunter's supplies, taking care to tread carefully. Once her fingers crossed the leg irons dangling from his strap, Zeke shouted another command, "Those! Pull 'em off!"

After a few yanks, Wendy was able to remove the shackles from the tangled belt, displaying them clearly for Zeke to see. "Done. What's next?"

"Put them on…"

"WHAT?!"

Zeke pushed Dipper's arm harder to re-illustrate his point, "PUT…THEM…ON!"

Dipper saw how Wendy's sights went from the cuffs towards his brown, watering eyes. Left without any other choice, she opened the cuff link and began to fit it around her ankle…

"Wendy! No!" The captive shouted. "You can't –!"

"I know, I know…" Zeke shooed away his worry. "If we really wanted it to be symbolic, I would have chosen a ball and chain, but hey, you have to manage with what you're given…"

"No! I mean, you can't do that to her! She won't be able to – "

Zeke tugged his arm harder, "That's the point, nerdlinger! _She won't be able to run! She won't be able to jump! She won't be able to fight!_ Wendy will be completely helpless…and it's all thanks to you!"

"No!"

"Yes!" The insane logger lowered himself so he could whisper in Dipper's ear. "If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be here right now. It's ironic if you think about it." His voice became deeper, "Take a long, good look at her, Dipper. _Try your best to remember this moment; for this is the last time you'll see your precious Wendy before we disappear in the night together…forever!"_

Just as Wendy was about to close the fetter across her boot, she raised her head to show a brave, yet disappointed look – one that Dipper would know anywhere.

 _"It's like it was with the Blind Eye Society. She's going to surrender herself to save me again. I can't – I can't let that happen!"_

A low growl formed in Dipper's throat, throwing Zeke off. Within a flash, he threw his head back towards his subjugator, successfully striking him on the bridge of his nose. With a yelp, Zeke released Dipper to place both hands over his wounded nose. "AGH!"

With a rush of fury, the boy leapt up with everything he had, clawing and scraping and pounding at the bully. _"No! I won't let you take her away! Do you hear me?!"_

Zeke cried out in frustration, reaching out blindly for Dipper's collar. "You – Stop it, you dick!" He finally caught him and held him at arm's length. "I'm getting sick and tired of you inferring with me…"

With one mighty throw, Dipper was hurled towards the nearby tables, his arms and legs waving uncontrollably, "Y-Y-YEEEOOOWWW!"

"Dipper!"

Just before Dipper landed, a red and green blur raced into the air and cradled him within its clutches. Landing on the table's edge, they rolled along the tiling until coming to a dizzied stop a few feet away. He looked up to see Wendy's woozy face.

"Wendy – _you saved me…"_

"Of –" She held the side of her head to regain her balance, "Of course I did…" She gazed down at her admirer in her arms with a stern look, "Dude, what were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself messed up!"

"But, Wendy! I couldn't let – "

"I know, Dip – _and thanks_ …"

He let out a relieved heave, and peered around the upturned table. Zeke stumbled about as he attempted to fully regain his vision. "Wendy…. Dipper…where are you? Come out, come out, wherever you are…"

Dipper went back into hiding, "So, what's this guy's deal? Does he have a secret weakness or something like that?"

His eyes grew wide as he spotted Wendy with her chin resting against her raised knees.

 _"There is no trick…"_

"Wendy?"

All signs of positivity had vanished from the redhead's demeanor, "There's no way to stop him, Dipper…"

"What are you saying?" He leaned closer to her, "We're been through way worse than this! And you're Wendy Corduroy! I've seen you take on every animal and monster from here to the Pacific Northwest without breaking a sweat!"

"But this is different, Dipper!" A sense of doubt and uncertainty overwhelmed the usually cocky ginger. "Zeke taught me every fighting tact and dirty trick that I know!" She put her noggin back on her legs, "I can't beat him on my own…"

In an effort to comfort his sweetie, Dipper placed a hand on top of hers.

"But Wendy, _you're not alone…not anymore_ …"

She moved her head towards her supporter and beamed. With her confidence returning, Wendy joined Dipper by the table. They kept quiet as Zeke continued to search every nook and cranny for them.

"So, any last-minute plans coming to mind?"

Dipper shook his head, "I was hoping that you would be able to give me a hint or two…"

"Beats me…"

As he planted his palms back on the ground, Dipper noticed that something pointy poked at him. He looked around to see that the floor had been blanketed with small white objects. He picked one up and examined it, "What are these things?"

"Those?" Wendy squinted her sights. "They're the earplugs that Zeke wore."

"For what?" Dipper asked.

She pointed at the stereo equipment in the corner, "To block off the music. He used those machines to send hypnotic suggestions to the guys..."

"…without affecting himself…"

Dipper and Wendy shared a grin as the notion hit them both at the same time.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I sure hope so…" Dipper set his gaze on the speaker units. "Do you think you can keep tall, dark, and gruesome busy for a few minutes?"

All it took was an encouraging look from Dipper for Wendy to step to the plate. She stretched her arms over her head to pop her joints in preparation of the task at hand.

"We'll find out…"

They each picked a pair of earplugs up and inserted them into their ears. Taking a deep breath, Dipper ducked out from his hiding place and hurried towards the oversized subwoofers. From out of the shade, Zeke reached out and seized him by the shoulder.

"Just where do you think you're going? You're not getting off that easy!"

"Let go! Let me go!"

Zeke pulled his hand back, "Oh, I'll let you go all right…"

*BLAM!*

The bully went flying past Dipper, landing spread out on the ground. Wendy stood over him, with her fists tightened; her stingy body quivered with pure adrenaline.

 _"I've…waited years to do that…"_

Zeke scoffed and wiped the mixture of salvia and blood away from his mouth, "You really wanna do this?"

While Dipper wanted to watch Wendy get her long-awaited justice, he knew he couldn't dawdle from his goal. He raced to the speaker equipment and began to mess with the abundant dials and switches.

"Let's see…Speakers – MAX. Bass – MAX. Treble – MAX. Balance Level – MAX. This should do the trick…"

*ACK! ACK!*

Dipper glanced over his shoulder to see that Zeke had managed to gain the upper hand. He pinned Wendy against the floor with his arms wrapped about her neck. Her legs kicked and pumped as her hands punched and scratched against her aggressor with no effect. She was unable to talk or scream or cry out due to the lack of air.

"Get off her!" Dipper hopped onto Zeke's back and started to yank at his middle-length hair. The brute stood back up and circled around to try to clear the smaller speck from his backside.

"Oww! You rat bastard! You're gonna pay for that!"

Dipper changed his ploys to raking his nails over Zeke's devilish eyes to pulling roughly on his ears.

 _"I won't let you hurt Wendy! Not ever again!"_

After a few attempts, the harasser took a handle on Dipper and threw him from his back and into the floor. He groaned and stared at the ceiling as Zeke stepped in frame, ready to deliver the killing blow.

"Have any last words, pipsqueak?"

Dipper held up his hands and opened them, displaying a pair of worn earplugs, "How…about _…"fooled ya…"_?"

"What?!" Zeke tapped his ears, finding them bare. He searched the room to see that Wendy was now standing before his audio setup. Her hand was positioned over the "ON" button of the receiver.

"You stay away from that!"

Zeke bolted towards her, when Dipper tripped him. The smaller boy held the threat down as he yelled, "NOW, WENDY! NOW!"

The lumberjane hit on the switch, releasing the horrid screeching sound through the speakers one last time. Even with the plugs jammed in his ears, Dipper had to cover them in order to avoid keeling over in pain. The mere minute of song seemed like an everlasting eternity of suffering.

Finally, the noise faded away from the amplifiers. The room became deathly calm. Dipper opened his eyes to find Zeke frozen in place. To his shock, every one of Wendy's ex-boyfriends was back on their feet and solidified.

"We did it! We actually did it!"

"Freaky…" Wendy walked back towards Dipper. "They're like living statues…" She studied them from every angle. "Is this how I looked when Robbie – you know?"

Dipper nodded.

"Whoa…" She understood why Dipper would become overprotective during the rare times that the topic came up; perhaps it was why they hadn't really discussed it before. But after seeing this display, she couldn't blame him for his distress.

"What should we do now?"

"I'm not sure…" Wendy recalled what she had witnessed earlier, "Zeke would play the music and afterwards, give them orders on what to do next."

"Maybe that's what _you_ should do." Dipper said. "After everything you've been through, _your voice should be the first that they hear…_ "

"Hmm…" Wendy rubbed her chin as she pondered the possibilities. As she was about to issue her first orders, the auburn-haired beauty caught on to Dipper looking up at her with nothing but pure admiration. She let out a tensed sigh, "All of you guys, listen up!"

The seven ex-boyfriends rose to full attention at that instant.

"This is how this is going to work _– as of this moment, you are to let go and forget about any or all misgivings in our respective relationships. It doesn't matter who hurt whom, or who broke up with whomever; the point is that you understand that it's over, and nothing on Earth will ever change that!"_

She pointed to the double-door exit _, "Now, get outta here and finally move on with your lives! Remember the good times, and try to find that same sense of happiness out there in the world. And no offense, fellas, but if I ever see any of you again, it'll definitely be far too soon! So long, and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!"_

One by one, the boys did as they were told, dusting themselves off, and headed off towards the unknown without sharing a word between them. Only Zeke remained, silently staring at the reunited duo before standing up and walking out of their lives forever. Had their plan actually worked?

They waited on edge, all alone in the lumbermill, with their nerves on high and their breaths running short, until Dipper and Wendy realized that several minutes had passed and not a single soul had returned to finish the fight.

"Is…Is it finally over?"

"I…" Wendy seemed unsure at first, "I…think so…."

"Good…"

With that, the pals collapsed against each other in pure exhaustion, sliding down back to back onto the cold, tile-covered flooring.

"Hey, Dipper?"

"Yeah, Wendy?"

He noticed that she had found his hand. She squeezed it gently, "I'm not sure if anyone had the chance to tell you this, but…"

"But what, Wendy?"

 _"Welcome back to Gravity Falls, Dip!"_

He laughed, leaning his head against her shoulder blades, and pressed back on her hand.

"Thanks, Wendy. You don't know how good it is to hear it from you…"

"Same here, buddy…"


	6. Chapter 6

_Final status of the contest (as of posting of final chapter):_

 _Team Dipper - 16 Reviews/1,798 Views/13 Favs/17 Alerts_

 _Team Wendy - 18 Reviews/2,259 Views/14 Favs/21 Alerts_

 _At the end of the day, it looks like Wendy sweeps up the victory. Even though the game is over, I hope you guys and gals continue to let me know how you liked this experiment, and how I can improve in the future (or better yet, how you liked the "final twist" below)_

 _Thanks again for all your support, and enjoy the finale! Until next time!_

* * *

"Glad to hear you kids are having fun. Keep warm, try not to stay up too late, and I'll hear from you in the morning…"

Dipper and Wendy crowded over the flip phone set on speaker mode.

"Will do! Talk to you tomorrow, Mom."

"Thanks again for everything, Mrs. Pines. We'll catch you later on. And tell Mabel we'll smuggle her in a suitcase next time."

"I'll tell her. Goodnight, kids…"

*CLICK!*

"PHEW!" The teenagers let out a collective sigh. On the way back home from their final battle, Dipper was able to explain everything that had happened in Wendy's absence. By the time they made it back to the Mystery Shack, she had been brought up to speed, and more than able to keep the pretense going without error.

Wendy placed her hands behind her and leaned back, "Well, that's over with…." She turned towards Dipper, who sipped his mug of hot cocoa gently. "Do you think she bought it?"

He nodded, "Oh, yeah. If not, she'd be halfway to Oregon by now…"

"True…" She picked her cup up from the rooftop. "No offense, Dip, but I'd rather take on a zillion evil exes than to get on your mom's bad side again."

Dipper raised his cocoa and held it out. Wendy saw it and lightly tapped her drink in agreement.

"Tell me about it…"

The friends' laughter spread throughout the empty atmosphere. The overcast and snowfall that plagued them all day had vanished, leaving behind a cold, but gorgeous starry night. A brilliant bluish moon bathed the duo in a calm light.

"I almost forgot…" Wendy reached into her jacket and presented him with a recognizable brown trapper hat. "Here you go…"

Dipper was stunned. He took the cap from her hands and looked it over. At first, he wondered if Wendy kept a supply of similar-looking headwear handy, but after seeing the same markings and noticing recognizable scents…

"This is…" He stared at Wendy with amazement. "But how did you – "

"It wasn't that hard, Dipper." She prided. "I made a pit-stop to the pool before running home for my junk. I slipped into the Pool and fished it out of the ice."

"But it's pitch dark out! How did you find it?"

"Kiddo," Wendy elaborated. "The best time to go ice-fishing is in the dead of night. Believe me, it was child's play. And after a few spins in the dryer, it's good as new…"

Dipper took a deep inhale before proudly placing it back on his head. _"Man, it still smells like her. How does she do that?"_

Wendy tipped her reclaimed blue pine-tree trucker cap in his direction, "There. Now, everything's back to normal…"

"Finally…"

They had talked their situation with Soos and Melody, who agreed to let them sleep over in one of the Shack's empty rooms for the weekend. That way, they could relax and enjoy each other's company without having anyone else bother them (like Wendy's rowdy brothers) or be at risk for another calamity under the adults' watchful eyes.

"Mmm," Dipper paused to take another drink, "It was nice of Soos and Melody to give us the old break room to hang out in…"

"Yeah, after everything that happened today, I'd really doubt that they'd send you back home like that…"

Wendy stirred the beverage in her hand as she grew quiet. "Dipper, I know it doesn't mean much now, but I just wanted to say – _I'm sorry_ …"

Dipper almost spit out his cocoa. He looked back at his crush in disbelief. "W-What?"

The redhead stared into the treetops of the Gravity Falls Forest. "I mean, it's my fault that you got roped into this mess. It's all kinds of messed up, and you're the last person that deserved that, and for that, I'm really sorry…"

The boy couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Wendy, you don't have – you had no way to know what was going to happen – "

She let her jeaned leg dangle from the roof, "Mebbe that's part of the problem…" She sighed and set her hot chocolate down, "Dipper, you know…" He watched as the girl strained to find the words to explain her feelings, "You know I like spending time with you, and Mabel, too, but I don't really talk to you guys as much as I should – what I mean is that it's nothing personal – it's just – _it gets hard_ , you know…"

"Well," Dipper said. "Maybe we should do something about that…"

"Like what?"

He shrugged, "What about letting me set up that video-chat setup that I've been bugging you about?"

Wendy's mood started to change, "That sounds great, buddy, but I don't have that kind of scratch just lying around…"

Seeing that his sweetheart was coming around, Dipper began to dig into his pockets, "Maybe there's something we can do to fix that…" A second later, he presented a wad of cash that made Wendy's eyes widened.

"WHOA!" She scooted closer to him, "Where did you get your hands on that load of moolah?"

"From our "old buddy," Zeke." Dipper proudly counted the bills in front of her, _"_ Like he said, _"This should cover the cost to get you back home, plus a little bit extra for your troubles…"_ "

"Nice!" Her expression changed to confused, "But, when did that happen?"

"Oop!" Dipper caught himself going a bit ahead, "That happened…when you were…um… _asleep_ …"

"Oh…"

"But we can do it now! Heck, it wouldn't take me more than a few hours to get you up and running!"

"You're serious? You'd really want to waste all that money like that?"

"It's not a waste, Wendy." Dipper could feel his face getting warmer in spite of the chilly air. "I don't know – maybe it'll help with things – maybe… _I wouldn't miss you as much then…_ "

The young detective stopped and closed his eyes, wondering if he went too far in his heartfelt confession. He noticed a hand placed on his shoulder. He saw Wendy smiling down at him.

"You got it, kid. We'll head to the mall tomorrow, and get you whatever we need to do this."

"Really?"

"Yep," Wendy spun back around, "Besides, I have you all to myself for the entire weekend. We have to jam as much stuff in as possible." She began to count off on her fingers, "We're talking junk-food buffets, all-night movie marathons, and not to mention, all the things we can do in the snow – "

"Egh!" Dipper interrupted with a shudder. "No offense, Wendy, but after today, the very last place I want to be is in the snow."

She gave him a playful push, "Dude, you're in the middle of Oregon in dead winter. I can't be held responsible for you getting pelted with snowballs or somehow being dunked headfirst into a snow pile."

"Ohh!" Dipper moaned in disappointment. "At least, can you promise that there won't be any ice balls in that mix?"

"I can do that – plus maybe toss in some "lightweight" stuff, like sledding and stuff – as long as we're not talking snow-angels here…"

"Agreed."

"Good to hear…"

Wendy and Dipper looked up towards the night sky in wait for the upcoming light show, taking in the peaceful ambiance – a much-needed refrain from all the chaos that occurred through the day.

"So…"

"So…"

Dipper watched as Wendy hugged her legs – the exact same pose she sported during their battle with Zeke. The sadness had appeared to overtake her again.

"So," Wendy mumbled. "You must have like, a ton of questions for me, right?"

"About what?"

She waved her hand in a circle, "About everything that happened in general…"

For one in the few times in his life, Dipper fought against his inquisitive nature. While he could have spend the entire weekend asking his main squeeze to fill in the blanks to her mysterious past, the sleuth recalled the important lesson Melody imparted on him earlier.

"No…"

"Huh?!" Wendy was taken aback by his response.

Dipper began to explain, _"What happened with those guys – it should stay between you and them in the past. It's none of my business. And even if there is some truth to what they said, it doesn't matter to me. I believe that the Wendy they knew is a totally different person that the one I know now, and that's what's really important..."_

"Wow…" She was blown away by the reply. "That's really deep, Dip…"

"Well, I got some great advice…"

To his surprise, Wendy snuggled closer and put an arm around her boy.

"I'd say that's some good stuff, buddy…"

Suddenly, Wendy raised her head towards the sky. She slapped Dipper's chest and pointed upwards, "Look, Dipper, look!"

Dipper followed suit to see a series of colorful streaks flying through the dark-blue sky. Each line created an unique color that shone through the heavens. He observed how the stripes appeared to defy gravity and soar throughout the air with perfect symmetry. Within a minute, they disappeared from sight, leaving behind their individual multi-colored trails.

"Incredible…" Dipper analyzed every possible detail. "It's like a night-time rainbow, but it glows in the dark like aurora borealis." He proceeded to take out his phone and take a few snapshots.

"It's cool," Wendy noted. "But after seeing it a few times…"

She elbowed her friend, remembering the hidden meaning of the day, "I guess that settles it, eh? We're bonded. _It looks like you're stuck with me forever…"_

Unable to help himself, Dipper whispered under his breath, _"_ You make that sound like a bad thing…"

Wendy lowered her eyes, "Didn't we talk about this, Dip – I know I can hear you when you do that, right?"

"Oop…"

The lanky cashier squeezed her companion, "Seriously though, it's the farthest thing from bad. I probably should have said this a lot sooner, _but…I missed you, too…"_

Dipper's heart melted at Wendy's admission. She went on, "But, I know that's nothing compared your one true, unconditional love…"

"My – what?"

"You know," Wendy tried to hide her grin, "Your huge crush on "euuuuuuuuu-calyptus " trees. I know how much you absolutely adore them! HAHAHA!"

Dipper lowered his head into a facepalm. "Oh, Wendy…"

"Kidding! I'm just kidding!" She nudged his arm, "Dipper, I just went through a gauntlet of ex-boyfriends when I thought you were in trouble. Do you honestly think I'd let a lousy tree stand in the way of "my boy?""

"I know, I know…"

"That's lumberjack skills for the win!" Wendy flashed a jokingly pose, flexing her muscles. She came back down and tightened her grip on Dipper. They both continued to watch the show displayed amongst the stars. "Was it everything that you hoped for?"

Dipper shook his head, "Nah. It was alright…"

"Just alright?!" The lumberjane turned towards her pal. "But wasn't that the reason you came back? To be a part of the whole "Fallers' Day" getup?"

"Not really," Dipper answered without hesitation. "I mean, it's neat, and all, but that wasn't the main reason I wanted to come back to Gravity Falls."

He could see that Wendy was hanging on his every word. "But why then?"

"Well, I – " Dipper stopped as an idea came to mind: it was better to show than to merely tell. He slipped his backtrack from his shoulders and passed it onto his front. The little admirer opened the main zipper and pulled out a foldable, dark green carrier. With careful handling, Dipper set the box on Wendy's lap and undid the latches keeping it shut.

With a deep breath, Dipper yanked the top back and revealed the precious cargo to his favorite redhead.

"I didn't come back for Fallers' Day _. I came back for you; to celebrate your day with you._

"Oh, Dipper…"

The inside of the container was a cupcake holder. Sixteen red and green sweeten treats were secured in place to prevent them from becoming smeared or crushed throughout Dipper's travels. Tiny numbered candles were stuck in each frosted top.

With a steady hand, Wendy plucked a cupcake up from its setting, "It's…" A familiar scent entered her nostrils, "It's red-velvet chocolate cake!"

"Try the green frosting…"

The girl took a nibble, only to savor the flavor, "Hmm…minty!"

"Making them your colors was my idea," Dipper admitted, "But Mabel helped me make it a reality. I know it's not much, but I thought that – "

"Dip…" Dipper glanced back at Wendy to catch her wiping her moist eyes, "It's perfect – it really is." She licked the frosting from her lips, "You don't – I've always hated this day because everyone always thinks of Fallers' Day instead of – " She used her palm to clear her freckled face, "You must think it's really stupid, don't you?"

"No way! I totally get it…" Dipper met her eye-to-eye. _"But just remember, I'll never forget about you, Wendy…"_

Without warning, Wendy tugged Dipper closer, making it so that their shoulders met. She took another cupcake and placed in his hands as they turned to face the remainders of the night together.

*CHOMP!* "Happy Fallers' Day, Dipper…"

With a wince, Dipper bit into his own creation, relaxing after he found it delicious. With his nerves finally set, he clutched his crush tightly as his noodle arm stretched across her back.

 _"Happy Sweet Sixteen, Wendy…"_

 _(January 2_ _nd_ _2017 – March 25_ _th_ _2017)_


End file.
